“We’re so grateful for the generosity and support of the Gala of Hope Foundation. They are wonderful community partners, previously supporting the creation of our lung nodule program, which we are already seeing make a difference for Mercy Health patients,” said Kristy Kohl McCready, President of Mercy Health Foundation Clark & Champaign Counties. “We know this latest grant will be another big step forward in the fight against lung cancer, which is currently the number one cause of cancer deaths in our local community.”
Angela Wagner, a nurse and lung cancer coordinator at the cancer center, said in the release that the goal of the program is to establish quicker follow-ups for patients at risk of lung nodules.
“We know by expediting the referral, evaluation, and management processes, we can reduce anxiety for patients and their families while also ensuring the appropriate care is delivered when it’s needed most,” Wagner said in the release. “That timely intervention ultimately leads to better patient outcomes, and that’s what it’s all about – saving lives.”
The hospital established the program in October of last year, with the goal of reducing the number of lung cancer deaths in Clark and Champaign counties. The program classifies a patient’s risk for developing nodules on their lungs in order to properly evaluate and manage their care.
Lung and bronchus cancer was the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality in both Clark and Champaign counties, accounting for 17.8% of cancer cases and 29.3% of cancer deaths in Clark County compared to 15.6% of cancer cases and 29.0% of cancer deaths in Champaign County, the Ohio Department of Health reported in 2021.
The program is referral-based and focuses on patients with specific lung cancer screening results.
It uses the Lung Imaged Reporting and Data System to classify screenings and match patients with the best care, according to the release. The classification system divides low-dose CT screening exams into categories to “help standardize follow up and management decisions.”
The categories go from 0-4X and higher numbers indicate a greater risk of malignant nodules. Those with a 3 or higher can be referred into the program, according to the release.
Another grant from the Gala of Hope in 2021 helped the hospital hire a ling nurse navigator for the oncology program, and also led to the creation of the lung nodule program.
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