Project ECHO: Survivorship
Two-thirds of cancer patients live at least five years after diagnosis and many live for decades after treatment. The number of cancer survivors in the U.S. is estimated to be 18 million, including over one million living in Texas. An aging Texas population as well as continued improvements in early detection and treatment will further increase the number of Texans who will have been successfully treated. Evidence-based preventive services are an important component of care, however, they are utilized at less than recommended levels.
This innovative intervention is expected to promote the adoption of changes in practice systems associated with improved coordination and delivery of recommended services. It will enhance the capabilities and self-efficacy of clinicians to address the primary domains of survivorship care and will ultimately result in reduced morbidity and mortality while maximizing the quality of life for cancer survivors.
Practice system changes will be implemented to identify cancer survivors currently receiving general medical care in the practices. The clinicians will obtain or develop treatment summaries and survivorship care plans for those patients based on best evidence and guidelines developed by recognized organizations. This project will address primary prevention and lifestyle counseling, secondary prevention with surveillance and screening as well as tertiary prevention psychosocial, late and long term effects. Project ECHO® tele-mentoring will be provided through regular interactive sessions. Led by cancer center faculty content experts and collaborating partners, this will facilitate case based problem solving, sharing of best practices provide targeted educational programming and support process improvement initiatives.
This work was made possible by the UTHealth Academic Excellence Endowment and donors to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Annual Fund.
Meet Our Partnering Institutions
UT Physicians Family Practice – Bayshore
UT Physicians Family Practice – Bayshore, a practice of UT Health Houston, provides comprehensive primary care for children and adults. Providers at this location have special expertise in geriatrics, sports medicine and ambulatory services. The center is staffed by physicians in family medicine, psychology and psychiatry.
In 2017, the center earned Level 3 recognition as a Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) by the highly respected National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
In a patient-centered medical home, each patient’s care is overseen by clinician-led teams that coordinate treatment across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs, and can improve patient and provider reported experiences of care.
Achieving recognition requires meeting elements that include enhancing access and continuity, identifying and managing patient populations, planning and managing care, providing self-care support and community resources, tracking and coordinating care and measuring and improving performance.
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