Turning an Access Challenge Into a Lifeline for Rural Communities

STS member Dr. Sean Jordan, chief of thoracic surgery and director of lung cancer screening at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, saw firsthand the barriers rural patients in East Tennessee faced in accessing lung cancer screening. In this episode, Jordan shares how a two-year effort—supported by collaboration, funding, and STS Advocacy—led to the creation of a 45-foot mobile CT lung cancer screening unit serving 21 counties. He'll discuss the challenges of bringing screening directly to underserved communities, the potential to detect lung cancer earlier and improve outcomes, and why thoracic surgeons have a unique opportunity to lead and advocate for stronger lung cancer screening programs nationwide.