Applying Implementation and Team Science Principles to Facilitate Cancer Program Implementation in Remote, Under-resourced Areas

Background: Failed implementation of health programs is common and may contribute to health disparities in resource-poor communities. We aimed to (1) evaluate barriers and facilitators for implementation of cancer survivorship services in rural communities and to (2) identify optimal strategies for successful implementation of survivorship care programs in these settings. Methods: The study design was guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and based on the core principles of effective teamwork. We collected qualitative and quantitative data to assess barriers and facilitators to implementation of rural cancer survivorship care (3 focus groups, size 8, 31, and 77). Data were collected using both in-person and web-based approaches (semi-structured interviews, stakeholder surveys, ThinkTank, project online portal, Google Analytics). Stakeholders included cancer survivors, their families and caregivers, local public services administrators, health providers, and allied health-care professionals from rural and remote communities in Upstate New York. Results: Patients reported preferences for cross-region team-based survivorship care and emphasized the importance of including local providers on regional care teams and networks. Synthesis of results was guided by teamwork principles. Most rural patient stakeholders trusted recommendations received from their local providers (n=6, 86%) and preferred receiving care locally (n=6, 86%). Involvement of rural patient navigators (average rank 1.5 out of 5) and county care managers (1.9) was ranked more favorably than reliance on telemedicine alone (3.3) or visiting practice facilitators (3.3). Rural counties that have existing formal and informal networks involved in cancer care scored higher on the metrics of teamwork and demonstrated more advanced readiness to change in regards to survivorship program implementation. Conclusions: Our analysis identified a unique combination of community socio-economic factors, geographic isolation, and limited provider supply common in rural care settings as barriers to optimal delivery of cancer survivorship care in rural settings. We propose teamwork training and facilitation as an innovative implementation strategy to overcome these barriers and minimize their effect on patient access to care. Merging implementation science and team science frameworks could further assist with program adaptation to minimize implementation failure and improve continuity of care for complex cancer pathway management.