Safety-net settings of care often serve patients who are most impacted by cervical cancer. 

Despite advancements in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment, significant differences in screening and cervical cancer mortality rates persist. Safety-net settings of care often serve patients who are more likely to be under-screened and under-vaccinated and therefore more likely to develop cervical cancer. To improve cervical cancer outcomes for patients, clinicians need practical guidance, tools, and resources to improve cervical cancer prevention, screening, and management.

Building on previous work, NORC is implementing a new cohort of our cervical cancer virtual learning series, CERV-Net. 

In 2024, NORC developed and implemented CERV-Net: A Cervical Cancer ECHO Learning Series for Safety-Net Settings of Care. The ECHO (extension for community healthcare outcomes) model creates communities of practice where expert teams lead virtual clinics for community providers. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Division of Women’s Health, CERV-Net included two 11-session cohorts, one focused on the Continental U.S. and one focused on the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands. 

Building on lessons learned from the development and implementation of cohorts 1 and 2, NORC is implementing a third cohort of CERV-Net. Content for cohort 3 will be tailored to the specific needs and barriers experienced by safety-net providers in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and from rural and Accelerated Cancer Screening sites throughout the United States.