Tennessee Oncology has created an advisory board to help gather information on ways to improve cancer care.
Board member Angela Regitko (REE-gett-KOH) said the board is focused on patients in DeKalb and Putnam Counties. Regitko said the board wants to find and talk to breast and prostate cancer patients as well as caregivers.
“Tennessee Oncology is, trying to find out the holes in treatment,” Regitko said. “Talking about telehealth in different ways to see if that can be able to bridge that gap of some of the issues that patients have faced.”
Regitko said residents will be asked to join the two-year information gathering effort by committing to group and individual meetings. Regitko said the breast cancer patients and caregivers will form focus groups. The prostate patients will participate in one-on-one meetings
“Trying to find out treatment things, access to treatment,” Regitko said. “The different things that they’ve experienced through their process to be able to find a better way to make sure that we’re taking care of these patients.”
Regitko said the participants identities will be confidential. Each person will be required to commit to attending multiple meetings and gatherings. Regitko said each participant will be paid $100 per meeting.
“We’re just really excited to be part of this,” Regitko said. “To be able to make sure that for the people of Putnam and DeKalb, and I know it’s going to go further than that, but to be able, if you get that diagnosis, that terrible diagnosis, maybe these things that we’re going to work together will help make that process a little easier.”
Call (615) 250-1776 for more information.
