Methodist Health System Prostate Cancer Screening Program wins statewide community service award

With all the bad news in the health care system of systems that don’t work and expenses beyond control, it’s a treat to read about something good and that does merit recognition.

The Methodist Dallas Medical Center has been named the 2008 recipient of the Texas Hospital Association’s Excellence in Community Service Award. The award is in recognition of the hospital’s  innovative prostate cancer screening and education program.

What is important is that there are two components to the program. Since 2000, when the prostate screening program began, 200 cases of prostate cancer were detected out of 50,000 men. As well, the program has reached out to and educated more than 122,000 people about the disease.

The hospital’s prostate cancer screening program has screened more than 50,000 men since 2000, when the program was created. During that time, 200 cases of prostate cancer were identified that otherwise may have gone undetected. The program also has educated more than 122,000 people about prostate cancer.

"With Texas having the highest rate of uninsured citizens in the nation, programs such as this provide lifesaving services to people who otherwise might fall through the cracks," said Dan Stultz, M.D., FACP, FACHE, president/CEO of THA.

When Methodist Dallas Medical Center launched the program, the hospital was uncertain how it would be received in the challenging targeted demographic area — the southern region of Dallas County. But the unprecedented momentum and impact the Prostate Screening Awareness Program (PSAP) has generated now serves as a model to outreach programs across the country.

According to a press release,

Bringing the service to the people instead of expecting the people to come to the service is at the very heart of why the PSAP has been so successful. Creative networking by Methodist Dallas Medical Center has been key to that process.

"We work extensively with church pastors who are advocates for our program with their congregations. We set up on site at local churches offering screenings, education and referral services. The program participants make a connection to our team and are much more likely to pursue follow-up as needed," said Arvin. "We also take our program to family reunions, barber shops, health fairs and grocery stores and we partner with a wide variety of organizations, including the Methodist Health System Foundation, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Bayer Pharmaceuticals and the Communities Foundation of Texas." Arvin said one group that has been especially helpful and influential to the cause is 100 Black Men of Greater Dallas, Inc.

The PSAP has two full-time and several part-time staff members, who are assisted by a host of volunteers from agencies that partner with Methodist Dallas for this cause. The program is funded through philanthropic contributions, grants and money that Methodist Dallas allocates for its outreach programs. While the program focuses primarily on prostate cancer, there is an additional objective to identify other serious health threats that can be detected during the screenings.

"PSAP’s mission is to help men in our communities identify medical needs at the earliest stage when treatment is viable and harm can be prevented," said Arvin.

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Tags: prostate cancer, cancer blog, prostate cancer screening, prostate cancer education