One reason patients skip screening exams is because of the costs associated with healthcare. With EDDY, what is the patient experience like in terms of insurance, paperwork, and billing?
CJ: You’re not going to get screened if you feel like it’s a hassle. So, we’ve tried to make the process easy, affordable, and quick.

Those who meet eligibility requirements can fill out an intake form on the Eddy landing page of our website. Low-dose CT scans require a pre-authorization process, which takes about 3 days. We can’t have that turnaround time be a deterrent, so our teams onboard Eddy really work to educate the public about the importance of coming back to get that screening.
Every willing Buffalo firefighter, through our partnership, is screened free of charge, and we work with the public to ensure that they, too, can get in for a screening. Medicaid and Medicare mandate that those who are eligible have access to this potentially life-saving imaging, so we have seen major inroads to eliminating screening obstacles.

I’d love to see additional advocacy to eliminate pre-authorization windows as we see with screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies.

HCB News: What has the response been like from patients?
CJ: Response has been nothing short of incredible. We’ve had some of our self-referrals tell us they’re able to easily walk to Eddy, effectively reducing transportation barriers to screening. On top of access, patients have commented on how quick the whole process is. From start to finish, you’re onboard Eddy for about 10 minutes.

I’ve heard we’ve screened more than 500 individuals and found a few cancers, even detecting a kidney cancer that showed up on the scan and probably wouldn’t have been detected otherwise. So, when we say we know this will save lives, we mean it.

HCB News: Do you have any advice for providers who might be planning to implement their own mobile lung cancer screening unit?
CJ: We’ve already fielded calls from cancer centers across the country who are looking to bring this technology to their communities. Putting a low-dose CT scan on a trailer instead of inside a hospital? There’s going to be some finesse with that. We have a huge opportunity to save lives by working together and powering through the obstacles, so we’re happy to be a resource for anyone interested in making a program like Eddy a reality in their town or state.

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