Strategies to Address Regional Barriers to Care in CLL

As geography and regional differences can play a major role in disparities in cancer care, learn how cancer programs can collaborate with local community outreach organizations to improve access to care and support underserved populations. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Farrukh T. Awan, MD, MS, professor of Internal Medicine and director of Lymphoid Malignancies at the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, about their approach to addressing regional barriers to improve care for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. "Time to get to appointments, the driving distance, the traffic issues, the cost of travel, housing/lodging, food—I think those are some of the biggest challenges we see in our patients, especially in our part of the country, where distances are huge and traffic can be an issue in major cities…" – Farrukh Awan, MD, MS   Guest:  Farrukh T. Awan, MD, MS Professor of Internal Medicine Director of Lymphoid Malignancies Program Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, TX   This podcast was created in connection with the education program A Regional Approach to Advancing Care for Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. This episode was made possible with support by AstraZeneca, Janssen Oncology, and Pharmacyclics.   Additional Reading/Sources ·       Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Resources ·       Multidisciplinary Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Care (accc-cancer.org) ·       Quality Improvement Case Studies ·       CLL: Models of Effective Care Delivery ·       Podcast EP 104: Addressing Regional Challenges to Equitable Care for Patients with CLL ·       Podcast EP 105: Best Practices in Caring for Patients with CLL in a Post-COVID Era ·       Podcast EP 57: COVID-19 Challenges: Managing Patients with CLL ·       Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) (cancer.org) ·       Addressing Racial Disparities in CLL Care - Patient Empowerment Network (powerfulpatients.org) ·       CLL Resources - CLL Society