Cancer Outreach
Outreach Screenings and Educational Programs 2018
Cancer Community Outreach 2018 goals are to ensure that outreach programs and efforts for screening and early detection of cancer, cancer-related risk and prevention are rooted in identified health care needs in our surrounding communities and to increase focus on preventative care, early intervention and access to clinical trials. Community Outreach Goals are based on DOH data of health disparities in cancer in the East and Central Harlem community districts, specifically. Goals for 2018 are listed below.
STANDARD 4.1 Prevention Programs
Each year, the cancer committee provides at least 1 cancer prevention program that is targeted to meet the needs of the community and should be designed to reduce the incidence of a specific cancer type. The prevention program is consistent with evidence-based national guidelines for cancer prevention.
Cancer prevention programs include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Chemoprevention programs
- Education/cancer awareness
- Skin cancer prevention
- Smoking cessation
Goal: Expand HEP B and HEP C education and screenings to at-risk groups, through expansion of REACH (formerly known as HEALS) and HONE programs, recognizing their link to the development of liver cancer.
- REACH (formerly known as) HEALS: Hepatitis C Education and Liver Screening is an outreach program provides free Hepatitis C testing and free Hepatitis C educational workshops for community based organizations.
- HONE: Hepatitis Outreach Network is a viral hepatitis prevention, screening, and link to care study program focused on minority groups in New York, who are at high risk for chronic Hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Measure: number of educational programs offered; number of HEP B & C tests completed; number of positive HEP B & C results.
- REACH: Increase in the total number of screenings (151 in 2017) and positive screenings (54 in 2017) by end of 2018.
- HONE: Increase in the total number of programs offered that provide educational materials (6 in 2017); an increase in the total number of screenings and positive screenings (8% in 2017).
STANDARD 4.2 Screening Programs
Each year, the cancer committee provides at least 1 cancer screening program that is targeted to decreasing the number of patients with late-stage disease. The screening program is based on community needs and is consistent with evidence-based national guidelines and evidence-based interventions. A process is developed to follow up on all positive findings.
Cancer screening programs include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Breast (radiographic and physical examination)
- Colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, or fecal occult blood testing
Goal: Continue to develop education and screening services for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer for eligible, uninsured and underinsured women and men by becoming a NY State DOH Cancer Services Program (CSP) screening site in 2018 through its screening van.
Measure: number of breast screenings completed; number of results requiring follow-up; number of cervical and colorectal screening materials provided.
Achieved When: By December 2018, onsite program opens and offers these services, which will be reported to Cancer Committee.
Overview
Breast Cancer
The Breast Health Resource Program of the Dubin Breast Center provides a multitude of support for breast cancer patients in Dubin. In addition, the Breast Health Resource Program includes Breast Care, Dubin’s BHRP Breast Health Education and Screening Program, which helps raise awareness by providing outreach and screening programs in the East Harlem Community. Educational programs focus on awareness of a breast regimen, risk factors, genetics and prevention strategies, using demonstration and handouts. This is an opportunity to develop relationships with residents to create trust so that they will be more receptive to participating in screenings. From January through August of 2018, Breast Care provided monthly educational workshops and breast screenings at Settlement Health and Greenhope Services for Women. With the acquisition of the Mount Sinai Mobile Mammography Van and Mount Sinai becoming a Cancer Services Program, monthly screenings at Settlement Health and Greenhope educational events are now being overseen by the Mobile Mammography Van.
Breast Care continues to participate in educational events in the community and throughout NYC. At the conclusion of this year, 6 community sites will have been provided with breast education and outreach services by the Dubin SW team. These include monthly outreach at Settlement Health and Greenhope for six months of 2018, participation in a health fair at a Manhattan based company (PMI Global), breast screening education at 3 senior centers in East Harlem, and a breast cancer awareness and screening education tabling at The Mount Sinai Hospital during Breast Cancer Awareness month. This Breast Cancer Awareness and Education Tabling Event in Mount Sinai’s Annenberg lobby shared information about breast cancer screening, scheduled employees and community members for mammograms, provided information about Dubin support programming, and psychoeducational resources in the community.
Total number of individuals who participated in breast education programs through November: 129
It is projected that 160 individuals will have participated in educational programs through the end of this year. 44 individuals received clinical breast exams, 5 of which received sonograms and no positive breast cancer diagnosis.
As noted in last year’s outreach report, our Dubin BHRP program has expanded to Spanish speaking patients and community members with a bi-weekly support group for women diagnosed with breast cancer, through partnership with Latinashare, a community organization to support women with breast education, prevention.
Breast and Cervical Cancers
Witness Project of Harlem offers breast and cervical community-based education and referrals for African Americans.
- Total number of programs since January 2018: 6
- Total number of participants since January 2018: 19
Esperanza Y Vida provides culturally sensitive breast and cervical cancer education and referrals to the Latina population, primarily in Spanish.
- Total number of programs since January 2018: 23
- Total number of participants since January 2018: 533 (increased by 166% from 2017)
Mexican Consulate offers breast and cervical community-based education and referrals to Mexican people in NYC.
- Total number of programs since January 2018: 7
- Total number of participants since January 2018: 175
Mobile Mammography Program hosts educational events on prevention and early detection of breast cancer. Educational programs were held throughout the year and the mobile van became active in October, 2018. All women with an abnormal finding are navigated to follow up (and treatment as needed).
- Number of Education Events: 44
- Number of Participants: 1018
- Number of Screening Events since October 20, 2018: 18
- Number of Women Screened: 133
- Number of Women Needing Follow Up: 25
Project Heal: In keeping with Mount Sinai Health System’s focus on improving the health of underserved communities, the Center for Spirituality and Health (CSH) in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has been facilitating monthly health education breakfasts for leaders of faith based organizations (FBOs) and two schools in the New York City area, primarily within the Harlem community, since 2010. Topics related to wellness, disease prevention, and management are presented by Mount Sinai staff and faculty. In 2015, the Center for Spirituality and Health expanded its health promotion to off-site activities at interested FBOs, under the program Multi-faith Initiative on Community and Health (M.I.C.A.H. ™) Project, was initiated in 2015 and is under the direction of one of our health care chaplains. This past year, Lina Jandorf and her team have adapted Project HEAL (Health Through Early Awareness Learning), a Community Advisor Training program, in faith based organizations.
In 2018, 11 faith based organizations have participated and 44 community health advocates have successfully completed the program. There have been 43 educational workshops with a total of 803 participants have occurred. One of Project HEAL’s education sessions about prostate cancer, held at Canaan Baptist Church, resulted in increased screening and three positive prostate cancer diagnoses. Those three individuals are now receiving treatment.
In addition, two “Living with Cancer for Caregiver Workshops’ were organized by MSH cancer center and social work leadership. These were held in May and November of 2018 at two Harlem churches and there were a total of 29 participants in these educational sessions.
Other Community Outreach Events for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer education:
- Total number of programs conducted during health fairs: 72
- Total number of participants: 3,187
Each program under this category has more educational events and offerings planned to the end of the year.
Gynecologic Cancer
Woman to Woman: Woman to Woman, a collaboration between the Division of Gynecologic Cancer and the Department of Social Work provides emotional support, information, and financial aid to women in treatment for gynecologic cancer and their families using a peer-to-peer model with survivor volunteers. The 23 volunteers mentor and support women in face-to-face inpatient and outpatient settings and by phone and email. W2W sponsors bi-annual conferences on wellness and coping with a cancer diagnosis. The two 2018 conferences were titled, “Sleep and Cancer” and “Moving for Life”.
- Total number of patient encounters: 381 (17% increase from 2017)
- Total number of participants at the Spring and Fall 2018 Conferences: 170 (21% increase from 2017)
Colorectal Cancer
The Mount Sinai Endoscopy Center hosted the 7th annual Colorectal Cancer Awareness Community Health Fair on March 7th in celebration of Colon Cancer Awareness Month. Visitors were able to tour through an inflatable model of a colon, the famous “Rollin’ Colon” provided by the Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation. The Feinstein IBD Center and its affiliated endoscopy center, Endoscopy Center of New York also represented. Approximately 1,000 participants picked up information about screening and prevention, and information about our procedures and physicians. Participants could speak directly with pharmacists, nutritionists, nurses, surgeons and gastroenterologists, and could schedule an appointment on the spot with schedulers.
- Number of Participants: 1,000
- Number Referred for Consult or Scheduled Appointment: 8
- Number Offered Consult but Declined: 10
Kidney Cancer
During Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, a free throw challenge was hosted by Dr. Badani and his department and the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness for kidney cancer and kidney health. It had at least 10 submissions from community members and a few submissions from internal Mount Sinai members. It culminated in the Kidney Cancer and Kidney Health awareness fair on March 28 in the Guggenheim Pavilion where 3 professional basketball players were in attendance and educational material was disseminated.
- Number of Participants: 200
Liver Cancer
HONE: Hepatitis Outreach Network is a viral hepatitis prevention, screening, and link to care study program focused on minority groups who are at high risk for chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV), diseases that have been linked to liver cancer.
- Number of Participants: 205
- Number of Events: 24
- Number of Positive Screenings: 33
REACH (formerly known as HEALS): an outreach program that provides free Hepatitis C testing and free Hepatitis C educational workshops for community based organizations. All positively screened participants are given contact information to schedule follow-up appointments.
- Number of Participants: 377
- Number of Events: 90
- Number of Positive Screens: 69 antibody positive (37 viral load positives)
- Number Linked to Care: 18 (of the 37 virial load positive (48.64% linked into care)
- Upcoming events: 50
Project Inspire: involves care coordination to reduce barriers throughout the HCV treatment process for HCV positive patients. In 2018, Project INSPIRE has enrolled 142 patients. Of these, 66% are men, and 42% identify as black and 39% as Hispanic or Latino. The most common care coordination services are wellness check-ins and appointment reminders (97%) and medical case conferencing (73%). Over 50% have received medication and pharmacy coordination, treatment readiness counseling and treatment adherence counseling. Nearly half received health promotions and alcohol counseling. Over eighty percent (83%) of patients who have completed treatment have received post-treatment counseling.
- Number of Participants: 142
- Number Linked to Care: 142 (100%)
- Total number of individuals enrolled from February 2015: 1,109 (142 more patients from 2017)
FOCUS – STOMP-C: a health initiative to evaluate the prevalence of Hepatitis C (HCV) positive baby-boomers (persons born from 1945-1965) receiving primary care. All those who test positive are linked to a patient navigator. Annually, MHS serves over 240,000 patients, with approximately 96,000 patients in the HCV birth cohort. MHS’s Stomp-C project aims to implement and evaluate a HCV screening and link to care program for patients within the Baby Boomer birth cohort.
- Number of AB Positive Screenings: 39
- Number of AB Positive Screenings that were also HCV RNA positive: 21 (54%) (58% in 2017)
- Number Linked to Care: 14 (67%) (56% in 2017)
- Number In the Process of being Linked to Care: 5 (24%) (37% in 2017)
- Lost to Follow-Up, Declined Navigation Services or Deceased: 2 (9%) (6% in 2017)
Lung Cancer
Mount Sinai’s Lung Screening Program provides screenings for current, former, and never smokers. Low dose CT scans help evaluate the health of lungs, heart, and other visualized organs including the breast, bone, liver, and spleen.
The total number of screenings for the past year was 2,315 (a 24% increase over the 1,862 reported for 2017).
- Thoracic Event (May ‘18) Lung cancer screening/prevention material provided at East Harlem center’s health fair. Number of participants is unknown.
- Mount Sinai Brooklyn @ Kings Highway (June ’18). Provided lung screening material to staff (20 participants) to in turn provide to patients
- Dr. Hakami dinner for physicians (June ’18). Lung cancer screening material presented to 40 physicians/providers.
- Queens community member presentation (October ’18) (15/20 community members, 5 staff)
- Lungs for Life Event (Nov ’18). Located in GP Atrium. Collaborated with four other departments, had 15 ft. inflatable lungs, give away items. 1,000 employees and community members attended, 30 participants were scheduled for further screenings.
- November 15th Great American Smoke Out Day. Information on smoking cessation and resources from American Cancer Society about quitting smoking was provided
Multiple Myeloma
The multiple myeloma program provided educational materials for patients and their caregivers on early detection and management of disease during a month-long tabling at Ruttenberg Treatment Center. Material provided throughout the month on the 6th floor of Ruttenberg.
Oral Cancer
The Head & Neck Center provided free oral exams on site in the GP pavilion. The event was open to the public, and widely promoted throughout Sinai’s network. Educational material from the Head and Neck Alliance was provided in English and Spanish on oral cancer and self-exam. Contact information was provided for follow-up, and participants were instructed to call the department for an official office visit; patients whose screening indicated follow-up visited were also contacted.
- Total number of screenings: 225 (245 in 2017)
- Follow-Up Indicated (Non-healing ulcer; other symptoms): 38 (new reporting from 2017)
Prostate Cancer
The Prostate Health & Research Center provides free educational material and information at Mount Sinai and in the community. This year, the center will focus on (December 2018) a Prostate Cancer and Urologic Oncology Symposium and CME event. Events have changed over the past few years, due to changes in screening recommendations.
Push Up for Prostate Cancer Awareness Event, hosted by Dr. Tewari and kicked off by Dean Charney Dissemination of prostate cancer educational materials, information on scheduling appointment provided.
- Total number of participants: 160
- Total number screened with PSA: 25
This year, two PSA screenings were held at local community centers in Harlem (June ’18 and October ’18).
- Total number of participants screened: 25
The department led the NY AUA delegation in the NYC Zero Cancer Prostate 5k Walk in September. This event raised funds for prostate cancer awareness and treatment.
Skin Cancer
The Department of Dermatology held a series of free onsite skin cancer screenings across sites. Every abnormal result was further tested, and follow-up appointments were recommended and scheduled:
- May 10th at E. 85th St Mount Sinai Skin and Laser – 87 screenings, 12 abnormal
- May 16th at Mount Sinai Beth Israel – 55 screenings, 6 abnormal
- May 17th at Mount Sinai West – 15 screenings, 4 abnormal
- May 24th at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s – 29 screenings, 8 abnormal
The Department of Dermatology also provided free skin cancer screenings at the following festivals in 2018:
Aspen Ideas Festival – During this festival, skin cancer screenings are conducted by Mount Sinai. Many of these patients are not typically referred to Mount Sinai practices as this activation takes place out of state and most patients are not from New York. Of note, since 2013, Mount Sinai’s dermatologists have performed a total of 4,093 screenings at the festival, and identified 40 possible cases of melanoma, as well as 287 potential basal cell and squamous cell abnormalities.
This year at the 2018 Aspen Ideas Festival, 11 dermatologists performed 754 skin cancer screenings, identifying 28 potential basal cell carcinoma, 15 potential squamous cell carcinoma, and 2 potential melanoma.
- Total number of individuals screened: 754
- Possible basal cell carcinomas: 28
- Possible squamous cell carcinomas: 15
- Possible melanomas: 2
Ongoing Community-Based Programs and Resources
- Gilda’s Club Navigator brings community resources to Ruttenberg Treatment Center that further supports patients with the goal of improving health outcomes by diminishing delays in treatment due to psychosocial factors
- New Ruttenberg Treatment Center navigator program that offers additional organizational support with the goal of reducing missed appointments, and connecting patients with available resources in and outside Mount Sinai
- AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY - Look Good Feel Better: monthly program onsite focused on education and wellness, which is open to the community
- GILDA’S CLUB – provides a weekly outpatient Spanish speaking support group and educational event series that focuses on pertinent topics such as fatigue and chemo brain
- COOK FOR YOUR LIFE – quarterly sessions available outpatient, which collaborates with onsite nutritionist to provide healthy lifestyle advice with practical knowledge and tools offered on preparing healthy meals
Mount Sinai Onsite Educational Outreach Events
Disease Awareness Resource Table in Celebration of Cancer Awareness Months:
- May – Melanoma Awareness Month – onsite event that distributed educational materials on risk and prevention
- July – Sarcoma Awareness Month and Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) Awareness Day – Ruttenberg Treatment Center, in collaboration with the Lift Raft Group (LRG) hosted a tabling event focused on education and advocacy, offering educational materials on GIST. Information on how to test for GIST and schedule an endoscopy at Mount Sinai was provided.
- September - Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month – onsite event in collaboration with National Ovarian Cancer Coalition that offered free chair massages, and provided educational information on risk factors for ovarian cancer, early detection and screening.
- November – Lung Cancer Awareness Month – Great American Smoke Out in collaboration with American Cancer Society. People were invited to accept the challenge to quit smoking. Materials on smoking cessation programs and assistance were provided for those who accepted the challenge or who wanted to invite others to quit smoking.
- Lung Cancer Screening Program – hosted an onsite event to build awareness of this month. The event featured an inflatable lung, information and handouts of lung cancer awareness bracelets and flashlights.
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month – a tabling event was held onsite that provided psychoeducational information about risk factors and early detection. A purple ribbon was handed out to people to build awareness.
Survivorship Day: Annual celebration for survivors offered Mount Sinai-Union Square: June 10th 2018, about 200 people attended annual luncheon, speakers included: Melissa Bellino, MBA, Dr. Stefan Balan, Karen Devries, RN, Camry Diaz, MA, Shawn Smith, Cancer Survivor, Michael Horton, & the Vocal Ensemble.