With the support of a community program grant awarded by the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), MCN identified that one of the greatest challenges facing health care providers was finding a way to bridge primary care services with secondary care services for their cancer patients. CAN-track is designed for patients who have been screened or need screening for breast, cervical or colon cancer. Because of CAN-track, clinicians can make sure that their patients get re-screened or receive further diagnostic tests if the screening results are abnormal. Further, patients can access their cancer screening history and know when they need to be re-screened.

The goal of CAN-track is to increase screening rates and reduce mortality rates from breast, cervical and colon cancers among migrant workers by decreasing the numbers of patients lost to follow-up. CAN-track provides a records transfer system (via fax) and care coordination services (via a toll-free telephone number) to participating clinics and service providers. Can-track serves as a central point of reference and information to a mobile population and the health care providers who serve them, linking patients and providers beyond city, county, state and national borders. CAN-track's Health Network staff transfer medical records, integrating the services provided at Health Centers and in other countries with the your health care system allowing clinicians to develop long-term care plans for their patients.

Another important component of CAN-track is a comprehensive database containing contact and service information for a multitude of different agencies that provide cancer screening and treatment services as well as financial assistance and social services in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and the United States. This database is available to the public and serves as a tool for health care providers to assist their patients in finding appropriate referral options.

If you are interested in participating in CAN-track please contact Theressa Lyons at (512) 579-4511.

There is no cost for clinics or patients who want to participate in CAN-track and MCN staff offers free technical assistance with designing an effective implementation of CAN-track at your clinic. We look forward to working with you to improve access to health care services and continuity of care for all mobile underserved people!