Lung cancer screening in Canada 2021/2022
Strategies to improve access to screening for rural and remote populations
Rural and remote populations face a variety of barriers in accessing preventative care, including longer travel times, higher costs, and fewer available healthcare resources, and thus may be less likely to access or participate in cancer screening.
Three provinces have strategies which they employ to improve access to screening in these populations. Many of the strategies have been co-developed with the community, and include providing financial assistance to those who live in rural areas.
Strategies to improve access to screening for rural and remote populations
| P/T | Strategies used | Strategy co-developed with community? | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC | · Providing assisted travel funding for those who live in rural areas | · Leveraging existing Breast Screening travel assistance process for Lung Screening | |
| ON | 1. Hub-and-spoke site screening model used in the Ottawa region, where participants are screened closer to home at the spoke sites (Renfrew Victoria Hospital and Cornwall Community Hospital) 2. Medical travel benefits under Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) |
1. ✓ 2. ✓ |
· LDCT lung screening scan is completed at a local hospital (spoke site) while radiologist interpretation of the scan is performed at a larger hospital in the region (hub site). · As in the pilot, travel benefits under the NIHB are available for those eligible. |
| QC | · No strategy put forward yet | ||
| NS | · Phased-in implementation approach to reach all Nova Scotians | ✓ | · Planned community engagement to develop strategies that meet the needs of rural Nova Scotians |
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