Florida ASCENT Program

The Florida Partnership for Adding Social Context to Address Cancer Survivorship Outcomes (Florida ASCENT)

This project will test whether combining the MyCarePulse EHR platform with ASCENT patient navigators helps adults with recent cancer diagnoses in Florida improve food security, diet quality, and confidence in healthy eating compared with standard care.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 100 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 100 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: University of Florida (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Gainesville, Florida)
• Trial ID: NCT07042243 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The study will adapt and implement MyCarePulse, an EHR-linked screening and referral platform, paired with ASCENT patient navigators who provide individualized support and connect patients to community nutrition resources. It will enroll about 200 adults with recent diagnoses of colorectal, prostate, lung, breast, gynecologic, hematologic, or skin cancers across UF Health and University of Miami systems in two phases: an implementation phase (Phase 1) and an intervention phase (Phase 2). Primary patient outcomes include food security, dietary self-efficacy, and diet quality, while provider-level outcomes examine feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. Phase 1 uses community-engaged participatory design and Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategies to refine the intervention before broader rollout.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (≥18) living in Florida with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis within the past 12 months of colorectal, prostate, lung, breast, gynecologic, hematologic, or skin (including melanoma) cancer who can read and speak English and provide informed consent are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People who live outside Florida, are under 18, cannot read or speak English, are pregnant or otherwise classified as a vulnerable population, or who do not have food access or nutrition-related needs are unlikely to benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase food security and diet quality for cancer patients and make it easier for clinics to connect patients to nutrition and community supports.

How similar studies have performed: EHR-based screening and patient-navigation programs have shown promise in improving referrals and addressing social needs in cancer and chronic care settings, but this specific MyCarePulse plus ASCENT navigator integration is a novel configuration that has not been widely tested.

Eligibility criteria

Patient Eligibility Inclusion Criteria:

1. ≥18 years old.
2. Pathologically confirmed diagnosis of colorectal, prostate, lung, breast, gynecologic, hematologic, or skin (including melanoma) cancer within the past 12 months.
3. Self-reported ability to read and speak English.
4. Able to provide informed consent.
5. Participant must not be considered a "vulnerable population" (pregnant women, neonates, children etc.)

Patient Eligibility Exclusion Criteria:

1. ≤18 years old.
2. Participant do not have a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of colorectal, prostate, lung, breast, gynecologic, hematologic, or skin (including melanoma) cancer within the past 12 months.
3. Participant does not live within the state of Florida.

3\) Does not self-reported ability to read and speak English or Spanish. 4) Not able to provide informed consent. 5) Participant is considered a "vulnerable population" (pregnant women, neonates, children etc.)

Provider Eligibility Inclusion Criteria

1. ≥18 years old.
2. Currently works as a physician, physician assistant, patient navigator and/or health system/administrative leader in UF and UM affiliated clinics.
3. Self-reported ability to read and speak English or Spanish.
4. Able to provide informed consent.
5. Participant must not be considered a "vulnerable population" (pregnant women, neonates, children etc.)

Provider Eligibility Exclusion Criteria

1. ≤ 18 years old.
2. Does not currently works as a physician, physician assistant, patient navigator and/or health system/administrative leader in UF and UM affiliated clinics.
3. Does not self-report having the ability to read and speak English.
4. Not able to provide informed consent.
5. Participant is considered a "vulnerable population" (pregnant women, neonates, children etc.)

Where this trial is running

Gainesville, Florida

• University of Florida — Gainesville, Florida, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Dejana Braithwaite, PhD, MSc

Conditions Cancer; Food Deprivation; Food Habits; Food Selection; Colorectal Cancer; Prostate Cancer; Lung Cancer; Breast Cancer