STATEMENT OF NEED

Rural cancer patients face many challenges in receiving care, including limited availability of cancer treatments and cancer support providers (oncologists, social workers, mental healthcare providers, palliative care specialists, etc), transportation barriers, financial issues and limited access to clinical trials. Oncologists and other cancer care providers experience parallel challenges in delivering care to their rural cancer patients.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

This activity is designed for individuals who are involved in cancer treatment and education of cancer patients and their families: oncology physicians, primary care physicians, oncology nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical research associates, health educators, social workers, psychologists, chaplains and other interested health care professionals involved in cancer care. Patients, caregivers and community members are also encouraged to attend.

ELEMENTS OF COMPETENCE

This continuing education activity has been designed to change learner competence and focuses on the American Board of Medical Specialties areas of patient care and procedural skills, interpersonal and communications skills, and professionalism, and the interprofessional competencies of roles/responsibilities and teams/teamwork.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This activity is designed to educate physicians, nurses and other health care providers about challenges and issues affecting rural cancer patients. Learning objectives for this conference include:

• Identify three barriers to cancer care in rural communities and outline at least one strategy for reducing cancer disparities in rural U.S. communities
• Recognize and review a model of de-centralized regional delivery
• Outline strategies to increase access, affordability and compassionate health care
• Describe options available for expanding mental health specialty care in rural areas
• Discuss research on cancer among the Amish and explore strategies for health care providers and others working with Amish cancer patients and their families
• Learn strategies to address optimization of cancer care and clinical trial enrollment in underserved rural communities
• Examine humorous and serious health care insights via emergency care in the rural setting
• List several strengths and challenges commonly experienced by cancer caregivers in rural areas
• Describe strategies for improving chemotherapy and supportive care management in the rural patient population
• Illustrate how to connect patients to the free services offered by the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line
• Identify ways to access local cancer resources and tools within local communities
• Identify ways to help rural communities overcome challenges