Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Equitable Cancer Care for Men

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men, after skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. And African-American men are 2.5 times more likely to die of the disease than Caucasian men. Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, a 617-bed facility in Hartford, Conn., has developed an outreach program that addresses the prevalence and disparities of prostate cancer among men who are uninsured or underinsured, particularly African-American men. Partnering with 30 faith-based and community organizations, Saint Francis launched the Curtis D. Robinson Men?s Health Institute. The institute provides educational presentations and free, private screenings through its network of partners. These screenings make these services available to underserved men who otherwise would not be tested when prostate cancer is in its earliest stages. If prostate cancer is diagnosed in an individual tested at the institute, appropriate treatment, including da Vinci Robotic Surgery, will be available and financial assistance provided. To date, the institute has screened 761 men and found 26 cases of cancer in men who might have gone undiagnosed without these outreach events. For more information, contact Hank Waltmire, M.Div., director, Center for Health Equity and Curtis D. Robinson Men?s Health Institute, at hwaltmire@stfranciscare.org.