American Society of Clinical Oncology shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Distance shouldn’t be a barrier to life-saving treatment. In southwest Montana, ‘time toxicity’—the physical and financial strain of long-distance travel—is a real hurdle for cancer patients.
Through a strategic partnership between Barrett Hospital and HealthCare and Bozeman Health, we are changing that. By integrating Bozeman’s oncology expertise and operational support with Barrett’s local access, we’re keeping care in the community. This program, part of the ASCO Increasing Access to Cancer Care in Rural Montana initiative, ensures that patients receive specialized treatment without the burden of the highway.
We spoke with local pastor Tom Luksha to discuss how this collaborative model cut his travel by more than half, allowing him to focus on healing.”
Janette Merrill, Senior Director of Care Innovation at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), shared ASCO’s post, adding:
“When we talk about ‘patient impact’ in healthcare, it’s easy to get lost in the data: miles saved, travel hours reduced, or costs mitigated. And while those numbers are significant—especially in a frontier state where a 200-mile round trip in a Montana winter can be a life-altering barrier—they don’t tell the whole story.
I am deeply grateful to be working alongside the dedicated teams at Barrett Hospital and HealthCare and Bozeman Health to make this possible. Bringing high-quality oncology care to our rural communities is more than a professional milestone—it’s a commitment to our neighbors that their zip code should never determine their access to care.”
More posts featuring ASCO.