CancerSPACE - National Cancer Institute

CancerSPACE

Learning in CancerSPACE

CancerSPACE (Simulating Practice and Collaborative Education) is a unique educational tool created to facilitate the cancer screening process for breast, cervical, and colon cancers. It was designed to supplement training for health care providers in approximately 1,300 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and addresses how to overcome barriers to cancer screening and improve clinic processes to achieve higher screening rates. Other health care facilities with similar structures and barriers may also find the tool useful for improving the cancer screening process.

The learning environment:

Engages players to learn more about cancer screening best practices.
Supplements in-service training with simulated clinical scenarios and patient-provider interactions.
Teaches players the behaviors and actions that lead to increased screening rates.
Provides evidence-based and actionable solutions designed to help clinics to increase cancer screening rates.

Try the Demo Now

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While development of CancerSPACE is still underway, you can try the demonstration version now. The complete version of CancerSPACE is scheduled for release in Spring 2009.

For optimal performance, it is recommended that you use a computer that has at least 2 gigabytes of memory available. For more details on how to use CancerSPACE on your computer, go to How CancerSPACE Works ¹.

What is the Purpose of CancerSPACE?

CancerSPACE is an interactive, Web-based learning application presented in a game format and is intended to augment in-person training of clinic staff in the FQHCs and other health care facilities that want to improve their cancer screening rates. FQHCs deliver primary care to uninsured and underinsured populations, including large numbers of ethnic and racial minorities. Data show that these populations are screened less frequently for breast, cervical, and colon cancers and exhibit marked disparities in cancer outcomes compared to the general population.

CancerSPACE is designed with particular attention to reducing these disparities in cancer care. It facilitates self-directed learning by presenting the "player" with real-world situations, requiring the player who is in the position of change leader (a.k.a. The Decider) to check the available evidence provided and make choices that lead to improving cancer screening rates. Ultimately, the goal is to increase cancer screening rates by showing health care providers how to overcome barriers and facilitate cancer screening. CancerSPACE incorporates aspects of e-learning, adult learning theory, and behaviorism to advance learning, promote knowledge retention, and encourage behavior change.

How CancerSPACE Works

CancerSPACE utilizes a virtual clinic and scenarios designed to simulate clinical experiences. The player enters the All Hands Community Health Center as "The Decider." The Decider is the change leader in the clinic and must check the evidence and make decisions concerning the All Hands Clinic's cancer screening process. In the clinic, The Decider engages and interacts with a diverse staff and patient population specially created for CancerSPACE.

Walk through the steps of the game

An animation still of the entrance to the All Hands Community Health Center

Welcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening rates. Welcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening ratesWelcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening rates

An animation still of a patient named Lou in the foreground of an exam room. There is text asking the player "How would you respond to Lou's comment? Click a button below to choose." There are 4 possible text responses to choose from. The player also has the option to click a button labeled "check the evidence".

As you move around the All Hands Clinic you will encounter various scenarios. Sometimes you will be asked to do an activity. In each scenario you are presented with clinical situations involving interactions with patients and clinical staff.

An animation still of 3 patients labeled A, B, and C. The still shows how the player can click a play button below the patient's image to listen to the patient speak. Below the 3 patient images the screen displays a question for the player: "Which patient received the correct information, A, B, or C?"

Once you have heard about the problems, take action. From changes in the way clinics mark records to new ways of communicating with patients, your actions may increase screening rates. Try different options to find solutions.

An animation still of the screen that appears when the player clicks the "check the evidence" button. The screen includes a text summary of the evidence and 5 buttons: Resources, Evidence Level, Author, Measured Variables, and Results.

Throughout the game, you have the option to "check the evidence." As in clinical practice, checking the evidence gives you the scientific basis for making the best clinical decisions.

An animation still of the score sheet at the end of the game. The score sheet includes line item scores for items such as recognizing barriers to screening and knowing the screening guidelines. The player also views the total score for the round and the screening rate increases for breast, cervical and colorectal. There are two buttons at the bottom of the screen for the player to either choose a new game or start over.

CancerSPACE provides several forms of feedback as you work through scenarios and check the evidence. As you progress through CancerSPACE, you will see the impact of your decisions on the cancer screening rates at the clinic.

Introduction to the Game
Welcome to the All Hands Clinic. The clinic is improving their processes for cancer screening. You are The Decider! Your job is to check the evidence, make decisions, and earn points to increase screening rates.

An animation still of the entrance to the All Hands Community Health Center

Walk through a scenario
As you move around the All Hands Clinic you will encounter various scenarios. Sometimes you will be asked to do an activity. In each scenario you are presented with clinical situations involving interactions with patients and clinical staff.

An animation still of a patient named Lou in the foreground of an exam room. There is text asking the player "How would you respond to Lou's comment? Click a button below to choose." There are 4 possible text responses to choose from. The player also has the option to click a button labeled "check the evidence".

Try finding solutions
Once you have heard about the problems, take action. From changes in the way clinics mark records to new ways of communicating with patients, your actions may increase screening rates. Try different options to find solutions.

An animation still of 3 patients labeled A, B, and C. The still shows how the player can click a play button below the patient's image to listen to the patient speak. Below the 3 patient images the screen displays a question for the player: "Which patient received the correct information, A, B, or C?"

Check the evidence
Throughout the game, you have the option to "check the evidence." As in clinical practice, checking the evidence gives you the scientific basis for making the best clinical decisions.

An animation still of the screen that appears when the player clicks the "check the evidence" button. The screen includes a text summary of the evidence and 5 buttons: Resources, Evidence Level, Author, Measured Variables, and Results.

See your results
CancerSPACE provides several forms of feedback as you work through scenarios and check the evidence. As you progress through CancerSPACE, you will see the impact of your decisions on the cancer screening rates at the clinic.

Using CancerSPACE on your computer

To run CancerSPACE you will need to have a Flash player installed (version 8 or higher). You can install the latest version of Flash for free here ³.

For the best performance of CancerSPACE it is recommended that your computer meets the following requirements:

Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, or Vista
At least 2 GB memory
At least 2 GHz processor
1024 x 768 or higher screen resolution
Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or later
At least 50 MB free disk space
Flash Player 8 or higher
Speakers (for the audio in the videos and sound effects)
Adobe Acrobat Reader

Questions or Comments

Let us know about your experience using CancerSPACE or ask us questions about CancerSPACE. We want your feedback.

For comments or questions about your experience using the demo version of CancerSPACE or for information on using CancerSPACE in your healthcare facility now, please contact us at:

Email: ncicancerspace@mail.nih.gov

Telephone: (301) 594-8997

Mail:
CancerSPACE
National Cancer Institute
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD 20892-8321

Table of Links

¹ http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerspace/page2

² http://www.orau.gov/hsc/nci

³ http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer