Med Center Health recognized for commitment to lung cancer screening, care

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Med Center Health has been named a Center of Excellence for its ongoing commitment to providing south-central Kentucky with patient-centered, evidence-based lung cancer screening and care.

According to a release on Tuesday, Med Center is honored by GO2 for Lung Cancer, a patient-focused organization dedicated to saving, extending and improving the lives of those with lung cancer.

Med Center Health also provides a standardized process for follow-up and management of incidentally detected pulmonary nodules, the release says.

Health officials say Med Center Health is one of only eight healthcare systems in Kentucky to receive the designation as a Center of Excellence in Lung Cancer Screening and is the first system in the state to receive the Incidental Pulmonary Nodules Award.

The Med Center Health Lung Nodule Program is a fast-track clinic that examines incidental nodules and those detected through low-dose CT scans. It offers a multi-disciplinary approach to the detection, diagnosis and treatment of suspicious nodules in the lungs at their earliest stages.

“Receiving the first IPN Center of Excellence designation in Kentucky for our Lung Nodule Program, and earning the same distinction for our screening programs, is a tremendous honor for Med Center Health,” said Jennifer Finch, vice president of Supply Chain. “More importantly, it reflects the exceptional care our teams provide to patients facing lung cancer. These designations affirm our programs meet the highest national standards for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment; which directly translates into better outcomes and lives saved. For our community, it is a powerful assurance that when it comes to lung cancer care, they do not have to look beyond Med Center Health. We are delivering the best right here at home.”

An estimated 237,000 Americans are diagnosed with lung cancer annually, with most being found at an advanced stage of the disease, health officials say. As a result, lung cancer has long been the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. By screening individuals at high risk for lung cancer using low dose computed tomography, this disease can now be found early, when it is most treatable and even curable.

“We are proud to have Med Center Health join the community of GO2 for Lung Cancer Centers of Excellence that is national in scope and local in impact,” said GO2 Chief Healthcare Delivery Officer, Joelle Fathi. “Across the U.S., the majority of people at risk for or living with lung cancer are served by a local community hospital near their home. Through the GO2 COE network of community hospitals, clinics, and academic and VA medical centers, we are fostering and supporting essential knowledge sharing and collaboration that brings national and global advancements in early detection, treatment and care close to home.”

GO2 COEs designated in lung cancer screening are committed to the principles of patient-centered communication and decision making across the entire care pathway. They implement screening in accordance with current evidence and clinical guidelines developed by professional bodies such as the American College of Radiology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, and they coordinate patient follow-up, diagnostics, and transition to treatment through a multidisciplinary clinical process.

To learn more about Med Center Health’s Lung Nodule Program, click here.