Lung Cancer Screening Program at Birmingham VA
With years of groundwork previously laid, the Lung Cancer Screening (LCS) program at the Birmingham VA Health Care System (BVAHCS) officially launched in March of 2022.
This effort was spearheaded by Dr. Devika Das, Co-PI of the Lung Precision Oncology Program Grant (LPOP) and Section Chief of Hematology/Oncology.
Dr. Das applied for LPOP funding to initiate a LCS program and research to help address to improve the timeline from suspicious nodule detection to treatment. The LCS program would help to decrease that time by streamlining a screening, referral, to treatment program. With our Nation’s Veterans being a vulnerable population and lung cancer being the leading cause of death amongst female Veterans, it only made logical sense to begin in the Women’s Clinic at the BVAHCS.
The mission was introduced to the Women’s Clinic Leadership Team, led by Dr. Rebecca Huie, Dr. Kanini Rodney, and Nurse Manager Monnaka Speights, and without delay, implementation was in the works. The Lung Cancer Screening Coordinator, Sasha Smith, BSN, RN, coordinated and led educational training from December 2021 -March 2022. Front-line staff and providers were trained to use the Tobacco Pack Year clinical reminder to capture eligible female Veterans. All Veterans who are 50-80 years old, have quit smoking cigarettes within the past 15 years, and have a 20-pack-year history or more, are eligible for Lung Cancer Screening. A pack year constitutes the number of years smoked times the greatest packs per day. With the dedication of the registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) entering this vital information into CPRS, providers are then able to place the necessary consult to the LCS Coordinator for these patients to be screened.
The Women’s Clinic has pioneered this initiative to be on the cutting edge of prevention medicine to ensure our female Veterans receive the latest in evidence-based care. The leadership and staff of the Women’s Clinic have served to be an excellent example as BVAHCS begins to roll out the LCS Program to other primary care clinics.