Kentucky’s Lung Cancer Screening Learning Collaborative
LEXINGTON — Lung cancer remains one of Kentucky’s most urgent public health challenges, and the Commonwealth is demonstrating how cross-sector collaboration can accelerate earlier detection and save lives. The Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Learning Collaborative is one example—pairing structured, statewide learning with hands-on implementation support to move evidence into practice.
Learning collaboratives are a common strategy to diffuse best practices, build workforce capability, and strengthen systems for continuous improvement. Evidence supports that well-designed, interactive virtual environments support strong knowledge gains.1,2
How It Began: The 2023 Lung Cancer Screening Collaborative
In 2023, UK HealthCare Healthy Kentucky Initiative partnered with the Kentucky LEADS – QUILS™ Group (QUality Implementation of Lung Cancer Screening) to conduct an 8-session learning collaborative, “Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Learning Collaborative: Achieving Equity.” The aim was to build shared understanding, improve organizational readiness, and center equity in LCS. This first collaborative established the relationships and infrastructure that would enable a larger, more implementation focused effort in subsequent years.
Moving Forward: 2025-2026 Lung Cancer Screening Learning Collaborative
The current learning collaborative series co-led by the Kentucky Cancer Consortium, QUILS™ Group, and the Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Program kicked off in June 2025. This in-person meeting convened 84 attendees representing 39 organizations and 86 Kentucky counties, setting the stage for a successful collaborative by grounding attendees in data shared by the Kentucky Cancer Registry’s (KCR) Eric Durbin, DrPH. KCR is one of the most respected registries in the US, with over two decades of gold-level certification from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries.
With data as the foundation, ‘The Landscape of Lung Cancer in Kentucky’ was presented by multi-disciplinary professionals — Jamie Studts, PhD, a behavioral psychologist from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Tim Mullett, MD, a thoracic surgeon from the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center. Afternoon sessions moved from information sharing to best practices in local implementation of LC initiatives, with Erin Hester, Ph.D., a subject matter expert in integrated strategic communication from UK’s College of Communication, discussing social marketing strategies to increase LCS uptake.
Further evidence-based interventions impacting LCS were shared by the QUILS™ Group, which outlined the essential components of LCS programs, and the Kentucky Cancer Program from both the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, who shared how their regionally-based Cancer Control Specialists are implementing LC initiatives at the local level. The day culminated in attendees working in small groups to prioritize strategies from the Kentucky Cancer Plan for implementation as a collaborative.
Ongoing Virtual Convenings
The format—mixing expert input, peer exchange, and action planning—aligns with research showing collaboratives improve professionals’ knowledge, teamwork, and motivation, while creating “normative pressure” and peer recognition that sustain change.3 The kick-off small group feedback and an in-depth online survey (n=151) were used to shape the following KY LCS Learning Collaborative virtual sessions (which have been/will be recorded and posted at Lung Cancer Learning Collaborative – Kentucky Cancer Consortium.
- National Lung Cancer Screening Day: Planning for Impact (August 2025 – 74 attendees) Speaker Hannah Burson, American Cancer Society’s National Lung Cancer Roundtable, and panelists from Baptist Health Corbin, Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital, and the VA Health Care System, Troy Bowling Campus.
- Tapping Into the Potential of Lung Cancer Screening through Communication & Outreach (October 2025 – 90 attendees) Plenary speaker Dannell Boatman, EdD, from West Virginia University, and panelists from Sterling Health – Owingsville, Community Medical Clinic Hopkinsville, and KCP.
- The Crucial Role of Primary Care in Lung Cancer Screening (January 2026 – 70 attendees) In-depth panel discussion featuring primary care providers, a lung cancer navigator, and a practice administrator; individually representing Kings Daughters Medical Center, New Hope Clinic, Owensboro Health, Saint Joseph East, and St. Elizabeth Cancer Center.
We invite you to join us during the remaining four sessions:
- What you need to know (WYNTK) About Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility – virtually on February 26, 2026, at 12pm ET, with plenary speaker Jamie Studts, PhD, University of Colorado School of Medicine & Cancer Center. Registration is open!
- Integrating Tobacco Treatment into Lung Cancer Screening Efforts – virtually on March 10, 2026, at 12pm ET, with plenary speaker Audrey Darville, PhD, APRN, University of Kentucky. Registration is open!
- Bundling Cancer Screening Interventions: Does Lung Fit In? Virtually – May 2026
- Working Together to Increase Lung Cancer Screening in Kentucky IN-PERSON in Frankfort, KY in June 2026.
From Learning to Doing: Implementation Support
A hallmark of the 2025–2026 collaborative is the opportunity to utilize direct implementation support funded by HKI—an approach the literature associates with stronger outcomes than education alone. Over 20 applications were received requesting more than 4x the funding available. Proposals chosen display both geographic and programmatic diversity. Strategies will include community outreach, public awareness campaigns, support for LCS navigation, LCS data registry participation, tobacco treatment specialist training, a research study, and community health worker support.
Implementation will begin in late January with opportunities for sharing lessons learned throughout 2026, with a final group presentation of lessons learned in December 2026.
Why Learning Collaboratives Work for Professional Development, and Why You Should Join Us!
They Leverage Peer Learning to Reduce Isolation and Spread Expertise
Learning Collaboratives create a safe space to be intentionally social and supportive around difficult topics. They flourish by facilitating peer-to-peer and expert-to-peer learning—popularized as “All Teach, All Learn.” This design accelerates diffusion of innovations and fosters accountability through shared goals and transparent measurement. A portion of each Kentucky LCS Learning Collaborative sessions include small breakouts. Participants are asked to introduce themself and answer a prepared question related to the session. Small group dialogue has been widely valued by participants in evaluation, as has the encouragement to converse during session in the chat room and during open floor Q & A time with speakers and panelists.
They Fit Today’s Multidisciplinary, Distributed Workforce
In public health specifically, collaborative models like Project ECHO—virtual, case-based learning networks—have strong evidence of improving participant knowledge, self-efficacy, and program outcomes.4 They also emphasize workforce resilience, peer collaboration, and skill-building—characteristics central to the Kentucky collaborative’s design.
Our team has been intentional in identifying speakers and panelists from multiple disciplines and clinical/community settings. We promote the Collaborative state-wide through varied and trusted networks. This results in widespread geographical representation (all 120 Kentucky counties have been represented in attendance), as well as a diverse mix of professions and experience. Few educational settings exist that find a thoracic surgeon or radiologist in a paired breakout room discussion with a community health worker or medical coder. This space provides much needed perspectives on complex issues such as LCS implementation.
Looking Ahead
In 2026, the Collaborative is poised to do more than increase screening—it’s building a stronger, more connected public health ecosystem. By pairing a proven collaborative model with implementation support and outreach lens, Kentucky is creating the conditions where more eligible adults get screened earlier, teams gain confidence and capability, and lessons learned spread faster across counties and systems.
The take-home message is clear—learning collaboratives are not just courses—they’re engines for professional development and practice change. When structured around evidence, peer support, and implementation funding, they have the potential to close the gap between what we know and what we do—saving time, resources, and lives.
Katie Bathje, Research Program Administrator, UK’s Markey Cancer Center
Allyson Yates, Research Operations Director, UK’s Markey Cancer Center
Jennifer Redmond Knight, Dr PH, Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy, UK’s College of Public Health
Endnotes
- Faja, S. Collaborative learning in online courses: Exploring students’ perceptions. ERIC.
- Young J, Gifford J, Lancaster A. Effective virtual classrooms: An evidence review. Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development; 2021.
- Zamboni K, Baker U, Tyagi M, Schellenberg J, Hill Z, Hanson C. How and under what circumstances do quality improvement collaboratives lead to better outcomes? Implement Sci. 2020;15(27).
- Project ECHO. Evidence of Project ECHO Effectiveness & Impact. University of New Mexico; 2024–2025.