Cancer Topics - Oncology Practice In Rural Settings Part 1

People who live in major cities in the US and abroad tend to benefit from better cancer care due to having access to more doctors, facilities and equipment. In contrast, those who live in rural areas face many challenges accessing consistent and quality care. In Part One of this ASCO Education Podcast Dr. Jack Hensold, a hematologist/oncologist in Bozeman, Montana and Chair of the ASCO Rural Cancer Care Task Force, Dr. Chris Prakash, Medical Oncologist in Paris, Texas and Medical Director of Texas Oncology and President of the Texas Society of Clinical Oncology, and Professor Sabe Sabesan, a Medical Oncologist in Townsville, Australia and the President-Elect of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia will examine the realties practicing oncology in rural areas. They discuss the difficulties of having to travel long distances for treatment (5:30), the effectiveness of telehealth (8:07) and solutions to recruiting a supportive care workforce in rural areas and facilitating access to imaging facilities and specialized treatment (18:12). Speaker Disclosures Sabe Sabesan: Speakers Bureau - Merck Sucharu Prakash: Speakers Bureau - Myriad Genetics Jack Hensold: Consulting or Advisory Role Company - Vibliome Therapeutics Resources Policy Recommendations for Improving Rural Cancer Services in the United States If you liked this episode, please follow the show. To explore other educational content, including courses, visit education.asco.org. Contact us at [email protected]. TRANSCRIPT Disclosures for this podcast are listed on the podcast page. Dr. Jack Hensold: Hello and welcome to this two-part episode of the ASCO Education Podcast. Today we will explore some real-time and real-world issues that oncologists face while practicing in rural areas in the US and abroad. Cities tend to benefit from having more doctors, facilities, and equipment to address the health needs of the population. In contrast, people who live in rural areas – estimated to be about 25% of the US population – face various challenges to obtaining consistent health care, including scarce medical personnel and infrastructure. Transportation of that care may involve considerable time and financial expense. I'm Dr. Jack Hensold, the Hematologist/Oncologist in Bozeman, Montana, and Chair of the ASCO Rural Cancer Care Task Force. I also serve as Medical Director of Regional Outreach at Bozeman Health. Joining me is Chris Prakash, Oncologist and Medical Director of Texas Oncology and President of the Texas Society of Clinical Oncology. Chris is also the Director of Quality Services for the statewide group and leads Texas Oncologist's Precision Medicine Initiative. Also joining me is Professor Sabe Sabesan, a Medical Oncologist in regional Australia. He is the President-Elect of the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia and Clinical Director of the Australian Teledyne Health Program, led by the Queensland State Department of Health. Professor Sabesan is an internationally recognized expert in the area of tele-oncology. He has developed and evaluated various oncology models to deliver cancer care closer to home. Providing healthcare is a very involved career, more so in rural areas. Dr. Prakash, you finished your oncology training in Detroit, yet you practice primarily in rural Texas. Can you detail the factors that led to your decision in practicing oncology in a rural setting? Dr. Chris Prakash: Thank you, Jack, for having me as part of this podcast. I finished my fellowship at Wayne State in Detroit, Michigan, and we were looking for a place to raise our kids and family and to find a good practice for myself. My daughter was two years old at that time. We were looking for a quiet, safe place with a laidback lifestyle, but at the same time a dynamic oncology practice. That's how I found East Texas, which is primarily a rural area. The small community here, good schools, and nice, accepting people really appealed to us. So we decided to give it a