Grant to benefit Aroostook County cancer patients
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A generous grant from the John T. Gorman Foundation will benefit cancer patients at TAMC who are in need of assistance with the sometimes cost-prohibitive expenses they may incur while seeking treatment.
The $20,000 will help strengthen TAMC’s Patient Support Fund to assist needy cancer patients of Aroostook Cancer Care with expenses related to travel and lodging while funding from other sources also provides supplemental help with medication co-pays and beneficial supplements.
“The need for the Patient Support Fund was evident from the day-to-day practice of oncology in The County. Inability of our patients to access care on time is a major factor leading to delayed therapy,” said Arjun Sood, MD, medical director of Aroostook Cancer Care.
In Aroostook County, many cancer patients face severe barriers to receiving treatment because of their low economic status and rural location. TAMC is a regional cancer center providing patients with services in advanced imaging, diagnostic procedures, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
The County’s large geographic size and harsh weather and road conditions make travel even to Presque Isle an obstacle for some. Many patients cannot afford to stay overnight in local hotels for multi-day courses of treatment or purchase beneficial nutritional supplements, and some patients choose to forgo treatments. Certain medications require expensive co-pays before delivery, leaving patients without essential components of their care until the funds can be raised.
“This fund helps in offsetting the effect of certain barriers to timely access to cancer therapy. This allows us to achieve superior outcomes for our cancer patients, thus delivering better quality of care over the long term,” said Sood.
The cancer rate in Aroostook County is 34 percent higher than the national average, and Aroostook Cancer Care sees approximately 640 patients per year. The goal of the Patient Support Fund is to provide assistance to at least 125 of those patients.
“We have always had patients inquire about assistance. Prior to the Patient Support Fund, our resources were minimal. We are now able to offer assistance to many of our patients,” said Oncology Nurse Navigator Lori Bouchard, RN. “This grant means we will be able to help more patients than we ever thought possible.”
TAMC began dispersing funds from the Patient Support Fund in September. The grant money, along with other funds raised through various fund-raising campaigns, will continue to supply the fund into the future.
“At this point in time, we have assisted several patients with transportation costs (gas cards and taxi vouchers), medication costs, lodging and supply costs. We foresee continued need for this type of assistance, and are pleased to be able to assist patients get to and receive their essential medical care,” said Brenda A. Baker, RN, manager of Aroostook Cancer Care.
Patients of Aroostook Cancer Care interested in receiving assistance from the fund must complete an application and provide proof of income to determine eligibility. The patient navigator will help determine the need, not to exceed $1,000 per patient, and will coordinate the distribution of funds accordingly. The patient navigator will work with the patient throughout the course of treatment to be sure the help provided is appropriate and effective and to respond if the patient’s circumstances change.
TAMC is embarking on a program to consolidate and modernize the radiation department and the existing medical oncology/hematology practice within the Aroostook Cancer Care Center with a modest build-out of the infusion area, which will provide advanced therapy for patients, as well as expanded palliative care and other supportive services.
In addition to the creation of the Patient Support Fund, TAMC has worked with local businesses to extend the benefit the dollars will provide. Collaborations have been developed with local hotels, pharmacies, taxi companies, and more to allow for discounted rates and/or direct billing between TAMC and the organization.
“For instance, if the patient requires lodging assistance, the patient navigator will match the patient’s requirements to the accommodations offered by participating lodging providers in the area. These local providers have made special rates available to our cancer patients and offer a variety of lodging types. The patient navigator will make reservations for the patient and the lodging provider will bill TAMC directly,” said Baker.
“The Patient Support Fund is one of many initiatives TAMC is undertaking as part of a broad cohesive strategy to achieve better outcomes for cancer patients in The County. Some other initiatives include the development of a Patient Advisory Council, the establishment of a comprehensive cancer registry, quality certifications from accrediting organizations, and co-location of the medical and radiation oncology departments,” said Sood.
TAMC will monitor the effectiveness of the Patient Support Fund by keeping records of how many people use the fund and for what purpose. This data will allow TAMC to target future fund-raising efforts to the area of greatest need. TAMC hopes to secure $125,000 in funding each year from various sources.
