Radiation Research Program |
Singing River Hospital System
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Grant Staff Contact Information
Co-Investigator Co-Investigator Grants Program Director Grants Administrator
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Clinical Research Nurse Clinical Research Associate Cancer Outreach Educator Patient Navigator Patient Navigator |
Primary Partner Institution
University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center
http://www.ccc.uab.edu
Co-Investigator(s)
Sharon Spencer, MD
sspencer@uabmc.edu
Ruby Meredith, MD
Project Title:
The Mississippi / Alabama Radiation Oncology Research Partnership is formed to establish and sustain a radiation oncology research program that will address cancer disparities among African Americans and underserved populations in the Mississippi region. The potential partners include the Regional Cancer Center at Singing River Hospital System (SRHS) in Pascagoula, Mississippi, the University of Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Center in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Gulf Coast Minority-Based Cooperative Clinical Oncology Program. The overall goal of the proposed partnership is to improve access and accrual of cancer clinical trials for African American and historically underserved populations. Clinical trials are the principal tools for achieving and demonstrating progress in cancer treatment and prevention. Unfortunately, the level of accrual of African Americans and underserved populations in clinical trials is disproportionate to the disease burden. In addition, many health care institutions that provide care to a disproportionate number of these populations are not often linked to the national cancer research protocols. As a result, radiation oncologists in these institutions have a difficult time starting, developing, and sustaining research programs. Thus, this proposed partnership seeks funding to support the planning, development, and implementation of radiation oncology clinical trials program. The proposed research plan will enable investigators to examine whether increasing access to cancer clinical research trials will increase accrual and participation. The partnership collaboration will serve as the major vehicle for building a research infrastructure and generating new findings in radiation oncology that may impact cancer disparities in African American and underserved populations.
The Regional Cancer Center's Patient
Navigator Program
The goal of the Patient Navigator program is to assist clients
in developing their connection to the Singing River Hospital
health care system and, thereby, increase participation in
cancer screenings, clinical trials and successful treatment.
The Patient Navigator program will be coordinated by a Community
Health Advocate/Patient Navigator Coordinator who will oversee
three Patient Navigators and will be responsible for setting
up screenings, outreach and coordinating transportation with
the hospital system and cancer patients.
Patient Navigators will play a key role in recruiting the underserved community members to participate in screening programs. After a diagnosis of cancer is made, the Patient Navigator will serve as a guide to navigate the health care gauntlet. The Patient Navigators will be long standing community members. In addition, the Patient Navigators will be used to distribute screening information in the African American community through churches, beauty salons, barbers shops and community publications. Information for the rural communities will be distributed through emergency clinics and local farm news radio stations as well as local churches.
The Patient Navigator will have the following duties: