Support for cancer patients during COVID-19: Your commonly-asked questions addressed

At Mount Nittany Health, we understand that these are stressful times emotionally, physically and financially, even more so for our patients with cancer. Mount Nittany Health is open and we are here for you. There are several ways our cancer care team at Mount Nittany Health is helping our patients during these challenging times.

Many conditions and treatments, including cancer and its treatments, can weaken a person’s immune system, making these individuals immunocompromised. People who are immunocompromised have a higher risk of getting severely sick from COVID-19.

To reduce your risk of getting COVID-19, it is essential for cancer patients and caregivers, along with everyone else, to avoid being exposed to the virus and follow everyday precautions. Stay home as much as possible, wash your hands often, follow masking recommendations, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, avoid gathering in groups or crowded places, and avoid contact with people who are sick. In case you need to stay home for a prolonged period of time, make sure you have access to several weeks’ worth of your medications and supplies. Call your doctor if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19. If you are not feeling well, please seek medical care immediately.

In addition, maintaining a healthy diet is essential, especially for those with cancer. A lack of vitamins, minerals and nutrients can weaken the immune system, making it more difficult for your body to fight against germs and diseases, and putting you at a higher risk for getting an infection or getting sick. Those with cancer often need additional calories and protein to help support their immune system. A lack of nutrients puts people at a higher risk of getting sick and getting an infection. Talk with your doctor or dietician to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need.

Health care appointments

Due to the fear of exposure to COVID-19, patients are cautious about attending treatment appointments and screenings. At Mount Nittany Health and Cancer Care Partnership, a partnership of Mount Nittany Health and Penn State Cancer Institute, we are taking extra precautions to help keep our patients, providers and staff safe. We provide masks to our patients to help reduce their risk of exposure to the virus. Our providers and staff wear face masks and shields when caring for our patients. We are taking extra care in cleaning the rooms between each patient. We encourage you to contact your medical provider to discuss any of your safety concerns of attending treatments, diagnostic testing and screenings.

Telehealth visits may also be an option for our cancer patients who are eligible. Our radiation oncology department is offering telehealth consult visits and follow-up visits to patients who meet the criteria for this type of visit. Telehealth greatly improves access and convenience of care, allowing patients to visit with their provider from the comfort of your home or where it’s most convenient for you. Contact your provider to see if telehealth is an option for you. To learn more about telehealth at Mount Nittany Health, please visit mountnittany.org/telehealth.

Transportation and finances

Difficulties with transportation to and from treatment has been a concern for many patients because commonly used services like public transportation, door to door services, and volunteer driver programs are limited or have temporarily shut down. To help our patients, we keep a list of the transportation services that are currently running and match patients with services that are currently open in their area to help ensure our patients get to and from treatment appointments and screenings.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals and families are facing the financial burden of them or their loved ones being laid off from their jobs, having reduced work hours, or delays in unemployment checks being delivered. In addition, insurances may be discontinued due to being laid off and some may not be able to afford the cost of COBRA, a health insurance program for those who have lost their job or experienced a reduction of work hours.

Oncology patient navigator and cancer care resources

At Mount Nittany Health, our cancer care team is providing our patients with resources to help. Our oncology patient navigators connect our patients to local financial assistance resources. For instance, the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund is a nonprofit charitable organization offering financial assistance to cancer patients and their families in Blair, Centre, Clearfield and Huntingdon counties. The Clearfield County Cancer Support is another organization that offers financial support to cancer patients in Clearfield County.

At Mount Nittany Health, we are also connecting our patients to national resources that have opened up or increased their financial assistance available to oncology patients. For instance, CancerCare is a national organization that offers financial assistance to eligible patients, as well as other free professional support services and information to help people manage the emotional and financial challenges of cancer. To learn more, visit cancercare.org.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is another health organization that provides free information and support to blood cancer patients and their families. LLS has launched their new COVID-19 Patient Financial Aid Program, which provides financial assistance to eligible blood cancer patients to help with non-medical expenses, such as food, housing, utilities, and transportation. There are no income criteria to qualify and patients do not need to have a COVID-19 diagnosis. For more information, visit lls.org.

In addition, PAN Foundation is a national organization dedicated to helping people with life-threatening, chronic and rare diseases with the out-of-pocket costs of their prescribed medications. To learn more, visit panfoundation.org.

At Mount Nittany Health, our oncology patient navigators help our patients understand their options for insurance continuation, as well as, how to apply for benefits through the Medical Assistance office if their insurance has been terminated. In addition, we help facilitate applications to free care programs at Mount Nittany Health and Cancer Care Partnership for patients who qualify.

Cancer patients may have feelings of isolation due to their diagnosis. These feelings may be heightened even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic due to social distancing, as well as with face to face support groups being canceled due to the stay-at-home order. At Mount Nittany Health, our oncology patient navigators our connecting our patients to organizations offering support services to cancer patients, such as the American Cancer Society, CancerCare, Go2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, and Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance. These organizations have been increasing their online and telephonic support for patients whose face to face support groups have been suspended due to COVID-19.

Caring for your mental health is essential. If you or a loved one needs help, please call your doctor or go directly to the emergency department of your local hospital. Additional resources include the Centre County Crisis Line, which is available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week at 800-643-5432, as well as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8285.

For more information on how to stay safe and ways Mount Nittany Health is responding to COVID-19, visit mountnittany.org/coronavirus.