Introduction
Reduce new pancreatic cancer illnesses by improving access to treatment and nutrition and by lowering cancer-related inequities via a more concerted approach to pancreatic cancer care. The goal of the action plan is divided into three sub-tiers: (1) to reduce the number of new cases of pancreatic cancer, (2) to increase access to healthcare and to improve the healthcare outcomes for people with pancreatic cancer, and (3) to reduce inequities and inefficiencies in healthcare associated with pancreatic cancer care.
Definition
To prevent new pancreatic cancer infections, the approach outlined above focuses on enhancing pancreatic cancer prevention activities in locations where pancreatic cancer is most prevalent, such as metropolitan areas. Additionally, the strategy will include the expansion of techniques for preventing pancreatic cancer infection via the use of a combination of effective, evidence-based treatments. Finally, the strategy intends to educate all residents and members of the community in the United States about pancreatic cancer risks and prevention using freely available, evidence-based material.
The purpose of tier two of the action plan is to build seamless systems that connect individuals to care quickly upon diagnosis and encourage retention in care in order to achieve cancer suppression and optimize the advantages of early treatment. Additionally, the move will increase system capacity, as well as the amount and range of clinical treatment and associated services accessible to people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, the action will provide a framework for promoting complete, well-coordinated patient-centered care for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, including addressing co-occurring illnesses and the difficulties associated with fulfilling basic requirements such as food.
Finally, the developed approach aims to reduce gaps in pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment in populations at high risk of pancreatic cancer infection. This will be accomplished by implementing structural changes that will reduce pancreatic cancer incidence and enhance health outcomes in high-risk populations, particularly metropolitan ones. Finally, this goal’s strategy includes reducing stigma and eradicating prejudice towards cancer patients.
Specific Organization and Justification for its Selection
A stronger structure is required to accomplish the action plan’s stated objective successfully. In this instance, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) will collaborate with the existing action plan for community healthcare delivery. PanCAN is a nonprofit institute established in the U.S. that solicits and assists in financing research to improve the delivery of patient and caregiver cancer assistance. Additionally, the business engages in community outreach and fights for higher government funding for pancreatic cancer research.
The justification for selecting this organization is that its basic principles align with the mission statements and with the primary components of this action plan’s purpose. According to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (n.d.), the group is committed to developing a varied and collaborative connection with the community through strengthening community inclusion in order to challenge and support one another on pancreatic cancer-related problems. This core value is connected to the third aim of this action plan, which is to eliminate inequities and inequalities in pancreatic cancer treatment. Additionally, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (n.d.) states that the organization is guided by three primary missions: community participation, patient care, research, and advocacy. In this instance, the action plan’s objective may simply be integrated into the organization’s work plan, resulting in the seamless and efficient execution of activities.
Stakeholders’ Roles
Health Care Workers (CHW)
Given that the action plan’s objective is to offer care to the community, the community healthcare activities are advantageous. According to Boyce and Katz (2019), CHWs assist families in their community in understanding their risk of getting diseases such as cancer. Additionally, the CHW can educate people in the community about pancreatic cancer prevention via seminars and discussion groups, as well as by educating them about food and nutrition and the importance of physical activity. CHWs are critical to our action plan for a variety of reasons. For example, as community people who work in conjunction with a local healthcare institution, the CHW have an ethnic origin, a common language, a common socioeconomic position, and shared life experiences with pancreatic cancer patients and cares. They can readily devise successful strategies for marketing pancreatic cancer screening to the people at greatest risk in this area. Additionally, the CHW may deliver pancreatic cancer vaccination connections for those at high risk of pancreatic cancer mortality. Additionally, the CHW may collaborate with faith-based organizations to alleviate stigma associated with cancer-related unemployment by facilitating work options via training.
Advocacy Organizations
Lawyers and other advocacy organizations are crucial in guaranteeing equitable access to healthcare. For example, advocacy organizations promote and influence cancer policy through fostering sociocultural diversity in attitudes toward various types of cancer (Faruqui et al., 2020). Additionally, advocacy organizations improve communication and work to eliminate obstacles that prevent cancer patients from receiving adequate treatment (Faruqui et al., 2020). Advocacy organizations may assist in increasing awareness of federal and state anti-discrimination rules for people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer via this action plan. Additionally, advocacy organizations link people who have faced discrimination due to their ethnic origin or cancer status to legal assistance. As a result, individuals with pancreatic cancer may easily get pancreatic cancer vaccinations, and early treatment can also be easier.
Institutions of Higher Learning
Institutions of higher learning play a critical role in providing patient-centered training. For example, Habimana et al. (2019) assert that academic institutions play a critical role in offering health-related educational programs at colleges and universities. In this sense, teaching patients about pancreatic cancer diagnosis and therapeutics promotes serenity and alleviates anxiety by expanding their awareness of cancer management. Additionally, via college or university-based programs, individuals develop the ability to make educated treatment choices, thus lowering health-related risks and co-occurring problems in pancreatic cancer. Institutions may be utilized to reduce stigma and prejudice by providing comprehensive, age-appropriate care. In this scenario, the institutions coach students in pre-professional training programs that promote pancreatic cancer prevention, risk reduction, and nutrition management via an integrated curriculum.
Organizations that Provide Health Care
A health delivery organization (HDO) is a collection of linked organizations or a partnership of similar agencies that are engaged in the delivery of healthcare services. For example, Fraher et al. (2020) assert that health delivery organizations have the responsibility and capacity to influence conventional healthcare patterns. In this case, they influence the healthcare patterns by establishing benchmarks in medical institutions and impacting minor practices through the exchange of information, materials, and regulations with other care providers. HDO is employed in this action plan to identify areas of research cooperation between public health and healthcare. Additionally, they may be utilized to improve services to communities with poor rates of cancer suppression and to engage community people as consultants and outreach workforces. Additionally, the HDO may facilitate the establishment of regular pancreatic cancer screening, as recommended by the United States Preventive Services Task Force. Based on the action plan, the HDO can enable prompt pancreatic cancer patient access to diagnostic and support commencement, as well as compliance training and sociocultural services that aid in retention in care.
Apart from screening services, the HDO may assist in the delivery of pancreatic cancer vaccinations and compliance support programs to those at high risk of pancreatic cancer infection via the current action plan. Additionally, the HDO may offer referral services to link people living with pancreatic cancer to other critical services such as drug use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, and care. The HDO may help facilitate housing programs for people who are unable to work due to cancer symptoms and conditions. For instance, the HDO may assist other healthcare practitioners with training on such essential services as housing and mental health care.
References
Boyce, M. R., & Katz, R. (2019). Community health workers and pandemic preparedness: current and prospective roles. Frontiers in Public Health, 7(1), 1-5. Web.
Faruqui, N., Bernays, S., Martiniuk, A., Abimbola, S., Arora, R., Lowe, J., Denburg, A., & Joshi, R. (2020). Access to care for childhood cancers in India: Perspectives of health care providers and the implications for universal health coverage. BMC Public Health, 20(1), 1-11. Web.
Fraher, E. P., Pittman, P., Frogner, B. K., Spetz, J., Moore, J., Beck, A. J., Armstrong, D., & Buerhaus, P. I. (2020). Ensuring and sustaining a pandemic workforce. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(23), 2181-2183. Web.
Habimana, O., Mukeshimana, V., Ahishakiye, A., Makuza, P., Hategekimana, V., Muhayimana, C., Dushimana, E., Shyirambere, C., Haley, J., Urusaro, S., & Kennell-Heiling, S. (2019). Standardization of education of patients with cancer in a low-and middle-income country: A quality improvement project using the cancer and you booklet. Journal of Global Oncology, 5(1), 1-6. Web.
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. (n.d.). Our core values. Web.