Tag Archive for: socioeconomic disparities

Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities in Thyroid Cancer Care: Impact and Mitigation Strategies

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Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities in Thyroid Cancer Care: Impact and Mitigation Strategies from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

What are socioeconomic disparities in thyroid cancer care, and how can these disparities be mitigated? Expert Dr. Megan Haymart from the University of Michigan discusses the impact of socioeconomic status and education status and shares actionable patient advice for optimal care.

[ACT]IVATION TIP

“…make sure that you’re seeing high volume physicians who see a lot of patients with thyroid cancer. This is for both the surgeons and the endocrinologists, because we know that outcomes are better when individuals see high volume physicians.”

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Related Resources:

Emerging Advancements in Thyroid Cancer Treatment

Emerging Advancements in Thyroid Cancer Treatment

 Advancing Thyroid Cancer Care: Tailored Treatment and Patient Involvement

Advancing Thyroid Cancer Care: Tailored Treatment and Patient Involvement

 Personalized Treatment Approaches in Advanced Thyroid Cancer Management

Personalized Treatment Approaches in Advanced Thyroid Cancer Management

Transcript:

Lisa Hatfield:

Dr. Haymart, how does socioeconomic status impact the diagnosis and treatment outcomes of thyroid cancer patients? And what strategies can be employed to mitigate these effects?

Dr. Megan Haymart:

So there’s strong data that socioeconomic status does have an impact on diagnosis and treatment. And so we know that individuals’ access to insurance makes a difference. We know that patients can be at risk for different levels of financial hardship. So a fee of $5,000 means a lot, different things based on how much reserve individuals have. And so we know that this is a real issue.

And then related to socioeconomic status, we also know that there can be differences based on education level as well. And so in order for patients to mitigate these differences, I think it’s complicated. Like I think really there needs to be systematic changes. So it doesn’t all rest on the patient, but for patients, my activation tip would be, one, ask the questions.

And so, if you feel that you’re not getting the answers that you want, don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. And my other activation tip for this question would be to make sure that you’re seeing high volume physicians who see a lot of patients with thyroid cancer. This is for both the surgeons and the endocrinologists, because we know that outcomes are better when individuals see high volume physicians.

And there’s strong data for thyroid cancer and other cancers as well, that sometimes what’s happening is individuals who are lower socioeconomic status or a minority race or ethnicity are sometimes clustering at low volume hospitals. And so they may not be getting the best care because of where they’re going.

And so I think it’s very important to advocate for yourself and don’t be afraid to look around. And if the center that’s closest to you isn’t the best center for thyroid cancer, and if there’s a better one that’s 30 minutes away, and you’re capable of getting there, I would encourage you to go.

Have MPN Disparities Been Addressed by Institutions?

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Have MPN Disparities Been Addressed by Institutions? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Have myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) disparities been addressed by institutions? Expert Dr. Idoroenyi Amanam from City of Hope explains MPN disparities that need to be improved, how institutions can collaborate on improvements, and how patients can advocate to lessen disparities.

[ACT]IVATION TIP:

“…we need to ask and understand the biology of different groups a bit better, and I would ask my provider, is your institution working towards that goal?”

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Related Resources:

Are MPN Risks and Outcomes Impacted by Race or Ethnicity

Are MPN Risks and Outcomes Impacted by Race or Ethnicity?

 MPN-Related Complications | Are BIPOC Patients at Higher Risk

MPN-Related Complications | Are BIPOC Patients at Higher Risk?

 Bone Marrow Registries | What Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients Should Know

Bone Marrow Registries | What Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients Should Know

Transcript:

Lisa Hatfield:

So, Dr. Amanam, what can institutions do to better address racial and socioeconomic disparities in MPNs? And what has changed? Have there been improvements in that?

Dr. Indoroenyi Amanam:

Yeah, I think that along the lines of improving access to care and understanding what are the socioeconomic reasons for poor outcomes in specific groups, I do believe that from a scientific perspective, we have to understand why some specific groups have poor outcomes. So what are the biologic differences? And I do believe that centers should work together to get this understanding especially since MPNs are a rare disease. And each institution may not have the numbers to really be able to answer those questions.  So my activation tip for this question is, we need to ask and understand the biology of different groups a bit better, and I would ask my provider, is your institution working towards that goal?

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Noted Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities In Breast Cancer Outcomes

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Noted Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Disparities In Breast Cancer Outcomes from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

What are breast cancer disparities? Expert Dr. Demetria Smith-Graziani explains notable disparities seen in breast cancer risks, treatments, and outcomes – and questions for patients to ask their doctor to help ensure their best care. 

Demetria Smith-Graziani, MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine. Learn more about Dr. Smith-Graziani.

[ACT]IVATION TIP

“…have an open and honest discussion with your physicians about the, your particular breast cancer risk and about the specific treatment recommendations that you receive, why you’re receiving those recommendations, and how people who get those treatments usually do.”

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Related Resources:

What is High-Risk Breast Cancer?
 
How Does Hormone Therapy Impact Breast Cancer Treatment?
 
 What Treatments Are Available for HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer?

What Treatments Are Available for HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer?

Transcript:

Lisa Hatfield:

Dr. Smith, what are the noted racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities seen in breast cancer risk, treatment, and outcomes?

Dr. Demetria Smith-Graziani:

So a lot of work has been done over the years to really understand more about disparities in breast cancer. When it comes to breast cancer risk, we know that while white women are more likely in United States to be diagnosed with breast cancer, Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer. Black women also have a higher risk of triple-negative breast cancer, which is known to be a more aggressive form of breast cancer, and Black women are diagnosed on average at a younger age compared to white women.

When it comes to disparities in treatment and outcomes, we can see that a lot of what affects the type of treatment that you receive and how you end up doing after that treatment are related to not only your race or ethnicity, but also your income, your insurance status, what zip code you live in, and other social factors and structural factors in our country, it’s really important that both patients and providers are aware of the disparities and the causes, because it’s up to all of us, but especially those in the healthcare system, to think about the ways that we can address them.

So, my activation tip for patients is to be aware of the fact that these disparities exist and to have an open and honest discussion with your physicians about the, your particular breast cancer risk and about the specific treatment recommendations that you receive, why you’re receiving those recommendations, and how people who get those treatments usually do. 

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What Are Potential Telemedicine Risks for Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients?

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What Are Potential Telemedicine Risks for Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

What risks should myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients be aware of with telemedicine? Experts Dr. AnaMaria Lopez from Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Dr. Krisstina Gowin from University of Arizona Cancer Center, and patient Lisa Hatfield share their perspectives and advice. Watch as they discuss potential risks in MPN patient care, how to advocate for the continuation of telemedicine, and advice for patients to work toward optimal wellness.

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How Can Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients Use Integrative Health

How Can Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Patients Use Integrative Health?

 How Can MPN Patients and Care Partners Stay Aware of Telemedicine Options

 How Will Advanced Technologies Enhance Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Care

Transcript:

Lisa Hatfield: 

Are there any risks or drawbacks that you see to telehealth or telemedicine for digital health?

Dr. AnaMaria Lopez: 

The most important thing is to remember that the technology is a tool, and if the person feels that there’s a limitation, so, for example, if the patient is seen and they say their heart is racing or skipping beats or something, now, there are ways, there are electronic stethoscope, so you can really do a full exam except for palpation through telemedicine. But not everybody has that even in a clinic, but certainly in our own home, we don’t have that technology. So if a patient is expressing a concern for which the clinician really feels that needs a closer evaluation, then that’s the right next step, so we’re not…the technology is a tool to help us care for people, and if it’s not all available right there, then we need to see the patient in person. So I think that’s the risk is just sometimes people may feel limited like, “Oh, well, I’m not really sure It’s okay, I’m not really sure I need to see you, or you need to go here or go there for the care.”

And the other, which is a really big threat, is that part of the reason we did 70 years work in a couple months is because it was reimbursed, and we’re reaching the end of the pandemic, the federal…and with that, the payers may go backwards. We all know that if that happens, we will go backwards in telemedicine. [chuckle] There will just be decreased, decreased use. And it may lead to people then going back to traveling for four hours, waiting, only to be told, “Oh, you know what? There’s not this. This clinical trial doesn’t work for you.” So we don’t want to lose ground. And part of not losing ground is that we really need to continue to have advocacy around reimbursement.

Lisa Hatfield: 

Thank you, Dr. Lopez. And I feel compelled, just to follow up with one more question regarding that, because I’m very passionate about this. With some of these rules and guidelines coming to an end, I know in my particular state that I will no longer be able to access my specialist. I see a myeloma specialist. We do not have any here locally. I can access a specialist via telemedicine. I will not have that opportunity. So as all of us know, there are disparities and there are financial disparities in cancer patients. There are racial disparities in cancer patients, there are socioeconomic disparities. Telemedicine has been a tremendous…has had a tremendous impact on the care and the outcomes and the quality of life of so many patients. So as a patient and as an advocate, do you have any recommendations? Do I go to my doctor and say, “Okay, how can I move forward and still talk to my specialist, who’s out of state? Do I go to my state legislature? Do I talk to my insurance company? How can we get this to continue?” Because this has had such a significant impact on the quality of life and on the outcomes for patients, who otherwise, would not have been able to access that care.

Dr. AnaMaria Lopez: 

Yeah, I mean, I think all of the above. Partnering with other advocates, the American Telemedicine Association has a map that kind of says where are all the shifting sands regarding the different rules and legislative changes. But I think it’s led us to a place, where we are all advocates and where physicians, nurses, patients, pharmacists, everybody in the same way that we do team-based care, that we do team-based advocacy and it’s all for our patients.

Lisa Hatfield: 

Great. Thank you for that. Dr. Gowin, any last words that you may have about accessing specialists or telemedicine options?

Dr. Krisstina Gowin: 

Well, I think we covered the basics, but I just want to end with just how empowering the access to digital health interventions really is. And so I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all approach to every patient. So what I would encourage patients to do is just to really think, “How do I compliment my care? What am I missing? How do I achieve my best wellness? And how do I get those resources in my home to make them more convenient for me?” And to start doing some research and self-advocacy to really get those resources because they are out there and in almost…in every domain, there is now a digital version that is accessible to you now.

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