Oatmeal Health

Health equity in action

Underserved communities have long endured disparate access to quality cancer care and a lack of culturally appropriate supportive care services. This leads to unnecessary death that could be easily prevented if the challenges of access and awareness could be overcome.

We are committed to reducing disparities associated with cancer screening and diagnosis. We are focused on creating solutions to improve health services and outcomes for communities disproportionately affected by cancer, starting with lung cancer and eventually including breast, colorectal, cervical, and prostate cancers.

Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer in the US, with over 130,000 deaths expected in 2023. Screening with low-dose CT scans (LDCTs) can reduce lung cancer deaths by 20% and improve the 5-year survival rate of new cancer diagnoses 10-fold. Consequently, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends annual LDCTs for adults aged 50-80 with 20+ pack-year smoking histories, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services has mandated that all US payors - private and public - cover these scans without copays. Yet, despite institutional support for prevention, screening rates remain under 6% of eligible adults.

Access to recommended lung cancer screening is particularly low in underserved populations including Black, Native American, LatinX, and rural communities, resulting in inordinate late-stage cancer diagnoses. Only 5% of the 14.5 million screening-eligible Americans receiving care at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), community health centers that serve vulnerable populations, receive preventative scans.

The key barriers causing this disparity include limited budgets, resources, technology, and staffing at FQHCs, as well as financial constraints, lack of awareness, and lack of access to transportation among patients. However, the current approach to cancer awareness is fragmented and disorganized. There is a desperate need for a streamlined, comprehensive system rather than more awareness months and ribbons, which have proven ineffectual at meaningfully increasing screening rates.

We aim to address the unmet need for accessible, systematic preventative cancer screening focused on health equity for marginalized and medically underserved populations. Our solution targets the significant care gaps that currently result in late-stage diagnoses and poor outcomes.

We offer a tech-enabled clinical service that provides end-to-end management of cancer screening for underserved populations. Our solution leverages multifaceted machine learning methodology to identify patients with elevated cancer risk using electronic health record (EHR) data, ensure compliance with USPSTF-mandated screening guidelines to enable early diagnosis and intervention, risk stratify screening findings to optimize ongoing surveillance, and provide culturally sensitive patient education.

Example: One of our current pilots at Lowell Community Health Center in Massachusetts serves 35K mostly low-income patients annually.  Lowell has been an amazing partner for Oatmeal, allowing us to start a pilot in the coming months while we build and validate our lung cancer screening eligibility identification model. We will deploy our solution along with the clinical staff at their health center. Our solution is fourfold:

1. Identify: Identify patients who are eligible for lung cancer screening per USPSTF screening guidelines using EHR data.

2. Screen: Schedule an appointment at an imaging center and ensure compliance therewith.

 3. Risk stratify abnormal findings (i.e. pulmonary nodules) to advise on follow-up and specialist referral.

 4. Rescreen: Educate and intermittently re-screen the patient.

To these ends, our services include:

- AI analysis of electronic medical records to identify patients eligible for cancer screening.

- Assistance scheduling imaging appointments, coordinating transportation, and incentives to improve access.

- Culturally sensitive education and virtual care to improve adherence to screening and overall engagement with healthcare. 

- AI evaluation of imaging results to determine the malignancy risk of identified nodules and recommend appropriate follow-up steps.

- Ongoing support, education, and reminders for annual re-screening to ensure continuity of care.

This comprehensive, tech-enabled clinical approach streamlines the fragmented cancer screening process, tailors it to individual needs, and reduces barriers to access for underserved groups.

We have already piloted our solution with Federally Qualified Health Centers serving over 200,000 underserved patients.

Our innovative use of machine learning technologies, including large language models and unsupervised learning algorithms, combined with a dedicated clinical team, offers a sustainable way to scale impact and improve outcomes systematically. Moreover, our revenue model based on fee-for-service billing provides a path to financial sustainability today. Finally, our objective to optimize cancer screening at scale is supremely well aligned with the US healthcare system's push toward value-based care, positioning us to negotiate value-based contracts in the future.

Our solution directly targets key gaps in access to cancer screening and care for at-risk populations. This approach enables the potential for meaningful impact and scalability, across 1400+ FQHCs serving 30M Americans, payors, VBCs, and ACOs.

We develop scalable solutions to correct deep-seated inequities in cancer screening, starting with lung cancer and eventually moving into other cancer markets. 

Racial disparities exist in the incidence, morbidity, and mortality rates of lung cancer. Smoking is responsible for the majority of lung cancers, and racial disparities also exist in smoking outcomes. Black smokers are less likely than white smokers to stop smoking or engage in evidence-based tobacco treatment.

Consequently, Black males have a higher annual lung cancer incidence (104.8 cases per 100,000 black males versus 85.9 cases per 100,000 white males) and mortality rate (90.1 cases per 100,000 black males versus 69.9 cases per 100,000 white males).

To make matters worse, disadvantaged patients are considerably less likely to get screened for lung cancer, even if they qualify for free screens. We see this in high proportion of cases where lung cancer is detected in later stages for disadvantaged groups and the rate of later stage lung cancer detection in those same groups. For example, in the US black patients are 10% less likely than white patients to get lung cancer screening even when they qualify, and black patients are 15% less likely than white patients to have lung cancer diagnosed early. 

We aim to directly address racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic healthcare inequities by focusing specifically on improving preventative cancer screening for underserved populations. Our solution targets communities facing barriers due to race, income, geography, etc.

Our partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers allow us to reach vulnerable populations that large health systems fail to adequately serve. Our initial pilots will reach over 200,000 underserved patients in just the first 6 facilities with which we have contracted. Our eventual goal is to scale nationwide, going zip code by zip code, to provide our solution to millions of at-risk individuals lacking access currently. 

By enhancing early detection of cancers through proactive screening, we expect to significantly improve health outcomes for marginalized groups that currently have poor morbidity and mortality rates for diseases like lung cancer. If successful, we will be able to scale up quickly to working with 150,000 patients annually in the short term, and millions in 10 years once we achieve scale. Many of these patients would likely not have been screened otherwise, newly enabling early intervention and treatment at a significant scale.

For payors, we are likely able to save $200 million over 10 years for every 10,000 eligible patients screened due to the high costs of late-stage treatment. This corresponds to an average of $237K saved per early detection. For patients, early-stage lung cancer detected by low-dose CT has an 80% 5-year survival rate, a dramatic improvement from the 18.6% survival rate among all new lung cancer diagnoses. 

Our solution has the potential for substantial social impact by addressing systemic inequities in access to potentially life-saving cancer screening. Our scalable solution expects to reach millions in underserved communities and lead to significantly improved health outcomes.

As CEO, Govette has spent the last 2 years in conversations with well over 100 health centers, health executives, patients, and industry experts to learn about the precise challenges responsible for the dismal 5% lung cancer screening rate among marginalized communities served by FQHCs. In addressing this pressing issue, Govette has assembled a team and advisory board whose unique blend of personal experiences and backgrounds uniquely equips us to make a meaningful impact. See our leadership team: https://oatmealhealth.com/lead...

Some of the reasons we are well-positioned to address this issue include:

1. Personal Experiences: Our team lead, who was raised in a low-income household and faced significant adversity growing up, knows firsthand what it is like to lack access to healthcare. As a patient at a Federally Qualified Health Center, he understands the pain and challenges that people from underserved communities face. Govette lost his mother, aunt, and both grandparents to Breast and Lung Cancer; none had received USPSTF-recommended preventive screening.  This personal experience is at the very core of our mission as a company.

2. Diverse Backgrounds: Our team is incredibly diverse, both racially and socioeconomically. We believe that diversity is a key strength when it comes to understanding and addressing the unique needs of our target population. This diversity ensures that our approach is inclusive and representative of the communities we aim to serve.

3. Community Engagement: We actively engage with the communities we serve. We conduct extensive outreach, hold community meetings, and engage in open dialogues to understand our patients' specific needs and concerns. This ongoing engagement helps us gain deep insights into their challenges.

4. Community-Centered Approach: The design and implementation of our solution are guided by the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities we serve. We believe in a bottom-up approach, wherein community members play a vital role in shaping the solution. We prioritize their voices and collaborate with them to create a solution that truly reflects their needs and desires.

5. Cultural Sensitivity: We are highly attuned to the cultural and social aspects of the communities we serve. Our team's diverse backgrounds ensure that we approach the problem with cultural sensitivity, understanding the nuances and intricacies that influence healthcare decisions.

6. Holistic Approach: We understand that healthcare disparities are often interconnected with other social determinants of health such as housing, education, and employment. Our approach is holistic, addressing not only the lack of screening but also the broader factors that affect the health and well-being of our target population.

In summary, our team's personal experiences, diversity, community engagement, and community-centered approach make us uniquely qualified to design and deliver a solution that resonates with the communities we are serving. We are not outsiders trying to impose solutions; we are insiders who have walked the same path and are dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those who face barriers to healthcare access.

Currently, we're engaged with three Community Health Systems, serving a combined population of 230,000 patients. Our initial pilot site, Stigler Health and Wellness Center in Rural Oklahoma, is actively serving patients, and we're in the process of recruiting our first clinical staff to ensure equitable cancer screening for their entire population of 35,000 patients. Across five states, we've secured a total of six contracts.

We are extremely excited to work alongside more experts in the field and learn from everyone.  

Participating would immensely support and elevate the work of Oatmeal Health. The aspects the program that excite us the most include:

1. Seed Funding:

   • Seed funding would be pivotal in scaling our operations, especially in reaching marginalized communities in targeted states.
   • It would enable us to invest in advanced technologies, enhance our diagnostic capabilities, and effectively reach and screen a larger population.

2. Mentorship:

   • Access to experienced mentors would provide invaluable guidance, helping us navigate the complex healthcare landscape more effectively.
   • Expert advice on healthcare regulations, market dynamics, and strategic planning would refine our approach and decision-making processes.

3. Educational Programming:

   • Educational programs tailored to healthcare startups would augment our understanding of the healthcare industry, its trends, and emerging technologies.
   • Knowledge gained would enable us to adapt swiftly, align our strategies with industry advancements, and make informed decisions.

4. Networking Opportunities:

   • Access to a network of like-minded innovators, healthcare professionals, and potential collaborators would broaden our horizons and foster beneficial partnerships.
   • Interacting with a diverse community could spark fresh ideas, collaborations, and opportunities for growth and expansion.