Improving Cancer Care for Rural Communities Series

Description of series

Objectives

By the end of this series of webinars, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the unique challenges faced by health professionals in delivering high-quality cancer care in rural settings, including limitations in infrastructure, specialist access, and care coordination.
  2. Explain how the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network (I-CAN) enhances rural cancer care by supporting the implementation of evidence-based standards, improving multidisciplinary collaboration, and increasing adherence to treatment quality measures.
  3. Evaluate the scalability and early outcomes of the I-CAN model and its potential to improve cancer care delivery and reduce disparities in rural regions across the U.S. 
Class Length

1 hour

Continuing Education

Sponsored by the Network of the National Library of Medicine, a designated provider of contact hours (CECH) in health education credentialing by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., this program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) to receive Category I continuing education contact hours.

Class Owner(s)

Nora Barnett, Health Professionals Outreach Specialist, Region 6
Miles Dietz-Castel, Communications Specialist, Region 6

Class Instructor(s)

Nora Barnett, Health Professionals Outreach Specialist, Region 6

Classes

Event Title Event Start Date Summary Continuing Education Credits CE Categories Is Online Registration
Addressing Rural Cancer Care Through a Network Model Rural cancer care presents unique challenges for health professionals, including limited access to oncology specialists, fragmented care coordination, and a lack of infrastructure to support evidence-based treatment and quality monitoring. These barriers contribute to significant disparities in cancer outcomes for rural populations. To address these gaps, the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network (I-CAN) offers a novel, collaborative model that strengthens rural hospitals’ capacity to deliver high-quality cancer care. By adapting a network-based framework, I-CAN enhances multidisciplinary coordination, supports the implementation of evidence-based standards, and improves adherence to treatment quality measures. This webinar will explore the structure and function of I-CAN, including implementation strategies, evaluation methods, and early outcomes. Attendees will gain insights into how this scalable model can transform cancer care delivery in rural regions across the U.S. 1.00 Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES), MLA, Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) On
Implementing Scalable Exercise Interventions to Address Supportive Care Disparities in Rural Cancer Survivors Cancer survivors in rural areas face unique challenges in accessing supportive care, including structured exercise programs that are proven to improve physical function, mental health, and quality of life. Dr. Jess Gorzelitz leads research focused on implementing and evaluating a distance-based, strength-focused exercise intervention tailored for older, rural cancer survivors. Leveraging the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network (I-CAN), this webinar will describe existing disparities in access to exercise oncology resources, use of remote exercise programs to inform long-term behavior change. This webinar will explore how scalable, evidence-based exercise interventions can be integrated into survivorship care to address disparities and improve outcomes for rural cancer populations. 1.00 Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES), MLA, Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) On
A Provider’s Perspective on Building High Quality Cancer Care Programs in Rural Areas Rural community hospitals are a critical source of cancer care for patients in their catchment area. In the midst of resource constraints and competing priorities, rural hospitals often must be strategic and innovative in their pursuit to provide quality comprehensive cancer care. When Dr. Kollmorgen came on as Medical Director of Oncology Services at Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa, Iowa, he saw an opportunity to bring his expertise as a surgical oncologist and experience with CoC accreditation to bear on developing their cancer program. As part of this work, Mahaska has become a member of the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network (I-CAN), where Kollmorgen and colleagues find support and resources from the I-CAN team and other affiliate members. In this webinar, he will discuss what it’s like to work as a surgical oncologist and medical director at Mahaska Hospital, the challenges of cancer care in rural areas, strategies for building a culture of quality improvement, and how the relationship with I-CAN has supported their work. 1.00 Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES), MLA, Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) On
Event Title Event Start Date Summary Continuing Education Credits CE Categories Is Online Registration

No classes.
last updated: 10/14/25 13:44