CARE Tool for Cancer
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial tests a web-based tool called the CARE Tool, designed to help cancer patients better understand healthcare costs and insurance options. The researchers aim to determine if this tool can simplify the financial aspects of cancer care and improve access to necessary resources. Participants will either use this new tool or receive standard financial education for comparison. This trial suits individuals diagnosed with gynecologic, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer within the past year, who are receiving treatment at specific cancer centers and can read and speak English. As an unphased trial, it offers participants the opportunity to contribute to innovative solutions for managing cancer care costs.
Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on helping with cancer care costs and resources, so it's unlikely to require changes to your medication.
What prior data suggests that the CARE Tool is safe for patients with cancer?
Research shows that the CARE Tool is an online platform designed to assist cancer patients with information about care costs, insurance, and financial resources. As a digital tool, it does not cause physical side effects like medications, ensuring user safety.
Studies have found that the CARE Tool empowers patients by increasing their understanding of managing cancer-related expenses. This knowledge helps them make better decisions and reduces stress about costs.
Research indicates that training care team members to use new tools can improve their performance without causing harm. This training is safe and enhances the team's ability to support patients.
Overall, the CARE Tool and its training focus on education and empowerment, offering safety without physical risks.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
The CARE Tool for Cancer is unique because it focuses on financial navigation and communication rather than medical treatment. Researchers are excited about this approach because it aims to empower patients with crucial financial education and improve cost-related conversations between patients and care teams. Unlike traditional cancer treatments that focus solely on medical interventions, the CARE Tool integrates financial literacy and support into patient care, potentially easing the financial burden of cancer treatment and enhancing overall patient satisfaction.
What evidence suggests that the CARE Tool is effective for helping cancer patients navigate insurance and access financial resources?
Research shows that online educational tools can help cancer patients understand care costs and insurance options. One study found that tools like the CARE Tool, which includes referrals to community assistance programs, helped patients save an average of $900 on non-medical costs such as transportation. In this trial, some participants will review the web-based CARE Tool, while others will receive standard financial education information. Additionally, programs aimed at reducing financial stress for cancer patients have been reviewed and found helpful. Studies also show that training "implementation champions" effectively encourages the use of new practices in healthcare. In this trial, some participants identified as implementation champions will complete training on the CARE Tool and cost conversations. This evidence suggests that both the CARE Tool and champion training can be effective.36789
Who Is on the Research Team?
Ashley Housten, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L
Principal Investigator
Washington University School of Medicine
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for individuals with prostate, lung, colorectal, or gynecologic cancers who are experiencing financial hardship. Participants should be interested in learning about cancer care costs and health insurance to help manage their expenses.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Intervention
Participants review the web-based CARE Tool or standard financial education information and complete an initial survey
Follow-up
Participants complete a follow-up survey to assess changes in financial toxicity, health insurance literacy, and self-efficacy
Implementation
Implementation champions complete training on the CARE Tool and cost conversations, followed by surveys to assess feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- CARE Tool
Trial Overview
The study tests the CARE Tool—a web-based platform designed to educate patients on managing cancer-related costs through information on care expenses, insurance, and financial aid resources. It's a randomized trial across multiple sites.
How Is the Trial Designed?
3
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Participants who are members of the care team and have been identified as implementation champions will complete training on the CARE Tool and cost conversations. Participants will complete a survey after the training and a post-recruitment survey at the end of the trial.
Patients will review the web-based CARE Tool after enrollment. Patients will complete a survey immediately after reviewing the website and a 3 month follow-up survey.
Patients will review standard web-based financial education information after enrollment. Patients will complete a survey immediately after reviewing the website and a 3 month follow up survey.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Washington University School of Medicine
Lead Sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Collaborator
Citations
The effectiveness of champions in implementing innovations ...
Five of the 7 (71.4%) studies reported that champions were effective in increasing the formation of policies and processes and increasing uptake ...
Training Local Change Champions: Systematic Review
Our review highlights that the specific educational content provided to local change champions in implementation trials is often poorly detailed ...
Training interventions for group-based patient education
To provide overview of research on training interventions for healthcare providers aimed at promoting competencies in delivering group-based patient education.
4.
researchgate.net
researchgate.net/publication/362200840_The_effectiveness_of_champions_in_implementing_innovations_in_health_care_a_systematic_review(PDF) The effectiveness of champions in implementing ...
The aim of this systematic review was to determine whether champions, tested in isolation from other implementation strategies, are effective at improving ...
The role of clinical champions in facilitating the use ...
The clinical champion model has been shown to be effective in aiding implementation of evidence-based practice in health care settings.
Improving Team Performance and Patient Safety on the ...
Although implementing these tools may not require time off the job, time and due diligence are needed to educate staff on why the selected tool ...
7.
aha.org
aha.org/guidesreports/2025-03-11-improvement-safety-culture-linked-better-patient-and-staff-outcomesImprovement in Safety Culture Linked to Better Patient and ...
An organization's safety culture is assessed with evidence-based survey tools, such as the instrument Press Ganey developed, which gather ...
Resident Physicians as Safety Champions
... safety and disease management into the daily workflow of clinical care. Integration of concepts and tools from Team Strategies to Enhance Performance and.
Team-training in healthcare: a narrative synthesis of the ...
Effects were reported across a range of clinical contexts. Larger effect sizes were reported for bundled team-training interventions that included tools and ...
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