Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2021

KH . ORG 7 Kootenai Health has been named a Screening Center of Excellence by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer for its ongoing commitment to responsible lung cancer screening. Designated Screening Centers of Excellence are those that provide clear information about who is a candidate for lung cancer screening, based on current evidence, and comply with comprehensive standards reflecting best practices developed by professional bodies such as the American College of Radiology (ACR), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP). we’ve been able to see,” said Dr. Hoopman. “The growth is impressive. The best part is that more patients are being screened early, which means we are able to catch any potential cancer cases earlier. The earlier we can catch and treat it, the better the outcome for our patients.” The idea for Kootenai’s free Lung Cancer Screening Day came about due to a steady increase of lung cancer patients being diagnosed at stages III or IV, rather than early in stages I or II. Many of these patients were still relatively young, in their 50s or 60s. Dr. Hoopman said if they had been diagnosed sooner, they could have lived much longer, healthier lives. Timis oneof the luckyones Following his diagnosis, Tim was able to receive minimally invasive robotic surgery by Robert Burnett, M.D., with Kootenai Clinic Cardiothoracic Surgery, to remove the cancerous growth from his lungs. Since his procedure, Tim has been able to recover at home with minimal assistance. “Each piece lined up just how we’d like it to,” Dr. Hoopman said. “But we know there are many more Tims out there, and we hope their care providers take to heart that we can save a life and make this great process a new standard of care.” As the program coordinator, Cori works closely with Dr. Hoopman Kootenai Health’s Pulmonary Nodule and Lung Cancer Screening Clinic has seen a steady increase in screenings each year. 2016 180 2017 337 2018 530 2019 923 2020 886* *2020 screenings were fewer due to COVID-19. Kootenai Health’s lung cancer screening program was established in 2016. From right: Tolli Willhite, community outreach; Cori Sowa, Pulmonary Nodule and Lung Cancer Screening coordinator; Tim Wilcox, lung cancer patient; and Todd Hoopman, M.D., pulmonologist to follow patients’ progress and identify others who may qualify for low-dose CT lung cancer screening. In 2019, Cori and Dr. Hoopman partnered with the Kootenai Health Foundation to purchase new software that helps identify and track patients who should receive a lung cancer screening CT. Since implementing the new system, Cori said she has identified over 800 patients who have missed or postponed important lung cancer screenings in recent years. “Having the Foundation’s support—both in helping those who need assistance to receive screenings and for helping us advance our systems to identify Are you a tobacco user or former tobacco user between the ages of 55 and 77? You might qualify for a low-dose CT lung cancer screening. Talk with your primary care provider about options, or call (208) 625-5864 (LUNG) for more information. By the Numbers and track our lung patients—has been a great help and benefit to these patients,” Cori said.