Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care for Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancers
Research at a regional academic health system identified key barriers to care for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, prompting the development of an equity-focused intervention to improve care delivery.
This cross-sectional study, presented at the 2025 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, examined health care providers' perceptions of barriers to care for patients with GI cancers to address disparities in care. Health care providers caring for patients with GI malignancies were surveyed, and their feedback was assessed quantitatively. Researchers performed a thematic analysis on open-response items to identify key barriers based on respondents' clinical roles and experiences.
Seventy-nine health care providers participated in the survey, identifying initial treatment planning as the phase with the most significant barriers. Health literacy was the main obstacle to diagnosis, while insurance coverage, financial constraints, geographic location, lack of transportation, and social support were the primary challenges to treatment across all disciplines. Physicians highlighted geographic and transportation limitations, while nurses and social workers emphasized gaps in health literacy, insurance, and social support. Systemic issues, such as limited access to specialized care and health care personnel shortages, were also noted by respondents, with many indicating spending a significant portion of time addressing nonmedical barriers to treatment.
“We will use these findings to guide in-depth provider and patient interviews and develop a team-based, equity-focused intervention. These efforts aim to improve care delivery at our institution and serve as a model enhancing GI cancer care in broader healthcare settings,” researchers said.
Reference
Lal T, Hoehn R, Boutros C, Kathardekar A, Winter JM. Provider perspectives on non-medical barriers to GI cancer care at a regional cancer center. J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(4):807. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.4_suppl.807
