CANCER BUZZ

On March 1, 2024, ACCC elected a new president and board of trustees for the 2024 -2025 term. CANCER BUZZ interviews outgoing President, Lekan Ajayi, and incoming President, Nadine Barrett, about their respective ACCC President’s Themes, the programs and resources ACCC developed in the past year, the state of the oncology workforce, ACCC’s role in improving health equity, the Association’s 50^th Anniversary, and more.

Guest:

Lekan Ajayi

Immediate Past President, Association of Cancer Care Centers

Chief Operating Officer

Highlands Oncology Group, Fayetteville, Arkansas

“[Last year] ACCC set out to rebuild and upskill the workforce to deliver the next generation oncology care...it’s been enlightening, and there's been so much learning that’s been made available…I think through the power of sharing, we can all be better together.”

“The oncology workforce. currently is at a point of inflection really. I think what we know now is that we need to invest to be better…what we've been able to do is create a popular awareness amongst leaders in the industry of the need to invest in the workforce and also to give them tools to be able to do exactly that.”

Nadine Barrett

President, Association of Cancer Care Centers

Professor of Social Science and Health Policy

Senior Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Equity Research

Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement

Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at Wake Forest School of Medicine

“Health equity is part of the core of ACCC, to want to advance equity, to want to think about what health equity and cancer looks like…ACCC is very much committed to recognizing that it takes a national and global community to create the change.”

Resources:

Reimagining Community Engagement and Health Equity in Cancer

Re(Building) the Oncology Workforce to Deliver Next Generation Care

The Importance of Developing Health Equity Initiatives

Social Drivers of Health: The Role or Representation in the Health Care Workforce

A Look at the Emerging Role of Health Equity Institutes

Population Health Navigators: An Innovative Approach for Supporting Underserved Patients

Live this week from the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS), CANCER BUZZ features an update from the White House on the Biden Cancer Moonshot program. 

Speaker:

Dr. Catharine Young

Assistant Director of Cancer Moonshot Engagement Policy and International Engagement

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Resources: 

Cancer Moonshot 

ACCC Post: Moonshot

Highlights from the President’s Cancer Panel: Building on a Strong Legacy

Live this week from the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS), CANCER BUZZ interviews Krista Nelson, ACCC past president, about the new Institute for Comprehensive Cancer Care Services and resources for cancer centers to implement these services.

Guest: 

Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW

Program Manager of Quality & Research, Cancer Support Services and Compassion,

Providence Health & Services 

Resources: 

Comprehensive Care Services

Institute for Comprehensive Cancer Care Services Announcement

Live this week from the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS), CANCER BUZZ interviews Dr. Mandi Pratt-Chapman about new patient navigation payments. 

Guest: 

Mandi Pratt-Chapman, MD 

Associate Center Director for Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity

Associate Professor of Medicine

Associate Professor of Prevention and Community Health

George Washington Cancer Center

Resources: 

Patient Navigation

FAN Guidelines

Assessment Tool (Gap Tool)

Live this week from the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS), CANCER BUZZ interviews Wendi Waugh, ACCC financial navigation committee member, about resources for financial advocacy.

Guest:

Wendi Waugh, BS, RT(R)(T), CMD, CTR

Administrative Director, SOMC Cancer Services & Ambulatory Infusion,

Southern Ohio Medical Center

Resources:

ACCC Financial Advocacy Network

Financial Advocacy Guidelines

Financial Advocacy Toolkit

 Recent advancements in treatment and a multimodal approach to care are improving outcomes for patients with head and neck cancer, however access to therapies and unique patient challenges due to disease symptoms, difficulty eating, difficulty communicating, and other psychosocial factors can reduce patient quality of life.

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Angelea Bruce, RD, CSO, OPN-CG, registered dietician and head and neck program navigator at Sharp Memorial Hospital and Brittney Watts, RN, head and neck patient care coordinator at Yale New Haven Hospital, about the importance of head and neck nurse navigation and how a dedicated navigator can help address these unique patient needs and improve care for patients with head and neck cancer. 

“I think looking at it through the eyes of the physicians, the health insurance, the organization [cancer program], and looking at what are the patient outcomes, success rates, delays in care, survivorship...I think those are important metrics to monitor and we [as head and neck patient navigators] can let a program know whether the patient’s needs are being met.” –Angelea Bruce, RD, CSO, OPN-CG

“Having a specific nurse coordinator for the head and neck community is vital to the patient’s journey within the entire process. This is the point person for the patient, for the providers, and you are the connection for the patient to the healthcare facility.” –Brittney Watts, RN

Guests

Angelea Bruce, RD, CSO, OPN-CG

Registered Dietician, Head & Neck Program Navigator

Sharp Memorial Hospital

San Diego, California

Brittney Watts, RN

Head & Neck Cancer Patient Care Coordinator

Yale New Haven Hospital

New Haven, Connecticut 

This episode, developed in connection with the ACCC education program Multidisciplinary Approaches to Head and Neck Cancer Care, was made possible with support by EMD Serono.

Additional Reading/Sources

• Multidisciplinary Approaches to Head & Neck Cancer Care

• Head and Neck Patient and Caregiver Resources

Founded in 2019, this inclusive lab is comprised of 42 members ranging from undergraduates to faculty from 12 different countries, most of whom self-identify as women and/or individuals who are under-represented in medicine. This virtual lab meets monthly to discuss projects, grants, and future collaborations. Joint research efforts focus on professional development of the health care workforce; cancer health disparities; diversity equity, and inclusion in medical education; and social justice in medicine, with a focus on cancer clinical outcomes and survivorship experiences of underserved populations. From 2020 to 2023, the Florez Lab secured nearly 1.5 million in combined research funding to support the development of translational research to mitigate and provide resources to address disparities in oncology and medical education. In this podcast, Narjust Florez, MD, teases her session at the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit and why it’s important to attend this session in person. 

Guest:

Narjust Florez, MD

Thoracic medical oncologist

Associate Director, Cancer Care Equity Program

Assistant Professor of Medicine 

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School 

“[At AMCCBS] I provide realistic strategies and actions that anyone can take to diversify the workforce, not only in oncology, but in medicine as a whole…I focus on what I have done with very little staff that has remained in place and helped create a more inclusive and diverse workplace.”

Hear Dr. Florez speak live at the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit.

Resources:

• Championing an Institutional Culture of Well-being in a Post-Pandemic Oncology Workforce — [PODCAST] 

• Workforce Diversity: African Americans in Health Care

• A Look at the Emerging Role of Health Equity Institutes

• Spotlight on the Sutter Health Institute for Advancing Health Equity

• A Q&A with Dr. Maria Hernandez, President and COO, Impact4Health

• Achieving Health Equity in Oncology with Precision Medicine Stewards 

• Health for All: Addressing Health Equity Among American Indians + Alaska Natives 

• Trans-Inclusive Cancer Care: Why It’s an Important Part of Health Equity

Hereditary breast cancer is a significant concern, with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations accounting for many inherited breast cancer cases. However, a 2018 survey by ACCC revealed the underutilization of BRCA testing, showcasing a significant gap in care. In this podcast, Joy Larsen Haidle, Genetic Counselor at North Memorial Health Cancer Center in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, and Lillie Shockney, University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer, Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, delve into the topic of BRCA mutation testing within breast cancer care, highlighting care gaps and opportunities for improvement that were identified in the 2023 ACCC BRCA Testing Reassessment Survey.   

“There are treatments that are specific for women who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene that have metastatic disease. So, by not testing them, they are not receiving the benefit of specific drugs that have been developed, that only work, for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation carriers who have advanced disease.”

Lillie Shockney, RN, BS, MAS, HON- ONN-CG  

“In the past 4 years in particular, the ability for patients to reach out and see a genetic counselor via telehealth has rapidly improved access for providers across the country.”

Joy Larsen Haidle, MS, LCGC

Joy Larsen Haidle, MS, LCGC

Genetic Counselor

North Memorial Health Cancer Center

Robbinsdale, MN 

Lillie D Shockney, RN., BS., MAS, HON- ONN-CG

University Distinguished Service Professor of Breast Cancer, Professor of Surgery

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Baltimore, MD

Resources:  

2021 ACCC Presentation on Genetic Counseling Rates at ASCO

ACCC 2018 Survey Summary Report

#AdvocateHealth is leading the way in rebuilding its 150,000+ workforce post-pandemic. Recognizing wellness as an institutional imperative and creating a new C-suite role—Enterprise Vice President, Well-Being for All Teammates—underscores this commitment. In this podcast, Mila Felder, MD, FACEP, teases her keynote at the ACCC 50^th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit, why it’s important to attend this session in person, and what she’s looking forward to most at the meeting.

Guest:

Mila Felder, MD, FACEP

Enterprise Vice President, Well-Being for All Teammates

Advocate Aurora Health

“…talking about burnout and stress related to working in health care is important as a preventative tool. We do a lot of work to prevent illness in our patients…clinicians and health care workers are not very good at identifying their own individual needs and serving those needs.”

Hear Mila speak live at the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting and Cancer Center Business Summit.

Resources:

Cancer Care Team Mental Health: Normalizing Helpers Seeking Help — [PODCAST]

Improving the Culture of Your Cancer Center, One Idea at a Time

A Psychological First Aid Program in the COVID-19 Era

Caring for the Caregiver

Community-Based Psychological First Aid for Oncology Professionals

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive disease whose management is complex and requires open communication amongst a multidisciplinary care team. It has a high rate of relapse, with up to 40 percent of patients relapsing within the first two years after primary treatment. Management of a patient with DLBCL begins with prognostic evaluation of the disease and assessing the potential adverse effects of treatments. It should be followed by evaluations of physical, physiological, cognitive, and socio-economic status of the patient. When considering treatment options, the patient should be engaged to share their expectations and goals related to disease control and quality of life.

CANCER BUZZ spoke to Robin Atkins, RN, OCN, symptom triage nurse, Virginia Oncology Associates in Norfolk, Virginia. Listen as we discuss effective practices to support patients with diffuse large b-cell lymphoma throughout the care continuum.

“It’s important to listen for meaning when talking with patients and caregivers who are undergoing cancer treatments for diffuse large b-cell lymphoma and incorporating that into the care plan.”

“Need to validate the patient perspective.”

“Shared decision-making is a two-way conversation.”

Robin Atkins, RN, OCN

Symptom Triage Nurse

Virginia Oncology Associates

Norfolk, Virginia

 Resources:

Cancer Support Community

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

This project is supported by AbbVie/Genmab and Genentech.

As the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy continues to expand as an effective treatment for hematologic malignancies, understanding how to identify eligible patients early and implementation of an effective framework for identification can improve care coordination and better prepare community cancer programs for widespread use of CAR T-cell therapy. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with David L. Porter, MD, director of Cell Therapy and Transplant at Penn Medicine, about the challenges community oncologists face and the key role they can play in identifying and recommending eligible patients for CAR T-cell therapy.

“The single most important thing for a patient out in the community at a place that doesn’t have familiarity or immediate access to CAR T-cells is to refer them somewhere that does and refer them soon and timely.” – David L. Porter, MD

Guest: 

David L. Porter, MD

Director, Cell Therapy and Transplant

Jodi Fisher Horowitz Professor in Leukemia Care Excellence

Penn Medicine- University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS)

Philadelphia, PA

This episode has been developed in connection with the ACCC education program Tips for Early Patient Identification for CAR T-Cell Therapy and Creating “Stickiness” with Community Providers for Optimal Care Coordination. This episode was made possible with support by Kite Pharma.

Additional Reading/Sources

ACCC Oncology Issues Article

If They RECUR, You Should Refer: A Community Oncologist Patient ID Roundtable Summary

Essentials for Identifying Patients – Bringing CAR T-cell Therapy to Community Oncology

Optimizing Care Coordination – Bringing CAR T-cell Therapy to Community Oncology

The aging US population is predicted to drive an increase in cancer incidence of almost 50% by 2050. At the same time, some cancer programs face capacity and resource constraints—which will continue to increase as demand for cancer services rises. Many cancer programs are also facing significant challenges with patient access. This podcast explores 4 pillars for creating a differentiated patient experience: access, navigation, digital health, and health equity. The end goal for both cancer programs and patients is to shorten the time span between diagnosis and treatment.  

Guest:

Jessica Turgon

Partner

ECG Management Consultants

“What we’ve seen coming out of COVID-19 is a growing consumerism in cancer care. Patients want their information quickly—even more rapidly than healthcare teams can turn it around. And patients want this information in a way that they can easily access it.”

Look for the full article, “Pioneering a Cancer Program of the Future,” in the Volume 38, Number 6, Oncology Issues. While you wait, check out the most current digital edition now.

Resources:

The Hospital of the Future

Population Health Navigators: An Innovative Approach for Supporting Underserved Patients

Ochsner Chemotherapy Care Companion: Improving Outcomes through Digital Medicine

Digital Solutions Connect Resources to Patients at the Right Time

Health technology performance and integration of electronic health record (EHR) systems—the creation of interfaces between EHRs and reference labs performing biomarker testing— have become critical factors in conducting efficient and equitable biomarker testing at cancer programs nationwide. At ACCC’s 40th Annual National Oncology Conference, an exclusive EHR Working Summit was held to understand barriers to integrating biomarker testing into EHR systems and explore effective practices/workaround solutions to facilitate timely and comprehensive biomarker testing.
In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Karen Huelsman, MS, LGC, precision oncology lead and genetic counselor at TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute, who also serves on ACCC’s EHR Integration program Advisory Committee, about key takeaways and insights from the Working Summit. 
“Some of the key barriers include limited staffing on information systems and technical teams—that’s the number one ingredient—[also] funding is an important element, having enough FTEs [full-time employees] to create a team, having knowledgeable data engineers and project coordinators…and trying to include some level of clinical input for any new integration implementation team is really important, and those are not always available…” – Karen Huelsman, MS, LGC

Guest:        

Karen Huelsman, MS, LGC
Precision Oncology Lead, Genetic Counselor
TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute
Cincinnati, Ohio

This episode was developed in connection with the ACCC education program EHR Integration: Effective Practices to Facilitate Timely and Comprehensive Biomarker Testing. This educational program is made possible with support by AstraZeneca and Genentech.

Additional Reading/Sources

EHR Integration: Effective Practices to Facilitate Timely and Comprehensive Biomarker Testing

EHR Integration Landscape Analysis

In 2020, this community-based cancer program started laying the foundation for a disease-site specific oncology patient navigation program that would grow exponentially over the next 2 years. In addition to a rapidly growing patient caseload, nurse navigator responsibilities grew extensively, largely due to increasing physician and system support of the program and role. To date, this 3-person oncology nurse navigator team has received over 2100 referrals from more than 259 providers. 

Guest:

Stephanie Bonfilio, MSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG

Oncology Navigation Manager

St. Elizabeth Cancer Care

“Patient experience is such a huge part of what we do in cancer care. We survey our patients who are actively being navigated to see if the care we are providing is of value to them…over 94% of our patients said that having a nurse navigator on their care team increased their overall experience.”

Read more in “Developing a Disease-Site Specific Oncology Patient Navigation Program” in Volume 38, Number 5, Oncology Issues.

Resources:

·       Population Health Navigators: An Innovative Approach for Supporting Underserved Patients

·       Increasing Clinical Trial Accrual Through the Implementation of a Clinical Trials Navigator

·       The Oncology Pharmacy Navigator

·       Developing an Acuity Tool to Optimize Nurse Navigation Caseloads

Since 2014, the widespread use of germline and somatic testing in gynecologic oncology has dramatically increased. The use of genetic testing can support actionable changes which may influence treatment decisions. Test results can inform risk for other malignancies and prompt preventive screenings for at-risk relatives. Despite an increasing awareness of the benefits of genetic testing, many patients are not receiving consistent or equitable testing.

CANCER BUZZ spoke to Melissa Frey, MD, MS, Assistant Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, and Director, Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program, Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York, and Leigha Senter, MS, CGC, Professor, Clinical Internal Medicine, Associate Director, Division of Human Genetics, and Licensed Genetic Counselor, The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Listen as we discuss germline and somatic testing for patients with ovarian cancer.

“Ovarian cancer is probably one of the most exciting examples of the way genetics and genomics can inform treatment, and also improve patient care, and patient outcomes.”

Melissa Frey, MD, MS

“While we are putting a lot of effort into making sure patients get the testing they need, we also need to have a support web in place for their family members too. And that is actually a service to our patients.”

Leigha Senter, MS, CGC

Melissa Frey, MD, MS

Assistant Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology

Director, Genetics and Personalized Cancer Prevention Program

Weill Cornell Medicine

New York, New York

Leigha Senter, MS, CGC

Professor, Clinical Internal Medicine

Associate Director, Division of Human Genetics

Licensed Genetic Counselor

The Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

Resources:

Cancer Support Community

This project is supported by AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. 

Coordination of care for patients diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, particularly those who are ineligible for transplant, can impact access to specialist care, clinical trials, and cancer programs with advanced capabilities to treat patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Geoffrey Uy, MD, professor of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Leukemia at Washington University’s School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and Khoan Tuong Vu, MD, hematologist oncologist at Texas Oncology, who share strategies and best practices for co-managing care for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

“The impact of care coordination can be tremendous. A large proportion of our patients come from several hours away. Through care coordination and through things like telehealth, we can deliver high quality care to patients in their [own] community.” – Geoffrey L. Uy, MD

“Successful care coordination is a seamless transition of care where we work together as a cohesive team, even across different cancer centers, with a consistent message and consistent treatment plan.” – Khoan Tuong Vu, MD

Guest:              Geoffrey L. Uy, MD

Professor of Medicine, Bone Marrow Transplantation & Leukemia\

Division of Oncology

Washington University School of Medicine

St. Louis, MO

Khoan Tuong Vu, MD

Hematologist Oncologist

Texas Oncology

Dallas, TX

This is the third episode of a four-part series developed in connection with the ACCC education program Achieving and Maintaining Better Outcomes for Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This episode was made possible with support by Bristol Myers-Squibb.

Additional Reading/Sources

·       Critical Conversation Strategies for Patients with AML- Video Podcast Ep 37

·       Strategies to Addressing Disparities in Patients with AML – Video Podcast Ep 35

·       Shared Decision-making in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

·       Talking about Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Cancer Support Community)

·       Shared Decision-making: Practical Implementation for the Oncology Team (ACCC)

 Live this week from the ACCC 40th National Oncology Conference, CANCER BUZZ  interviews Doug Flora, MD about AI in Precision Oncology, the first- ever peer-reviewed journal on the topic. The journal shares meaningful information on the evolution of these tools, especially for clinicians and decision makers to help make a case for artificial intelligence.

Guest: 

Doug Flora, MD

Editor-in-Chief, AI in Precision Oncology

Resources: 

AI in Precision Oncology

ACCC Cancer Diagnostics 

The oncology community is facing staffing shortages across disciplines and specialties, as well as pressure from organizations and individuals for clinicians to practice at the top of their license and nonclinical staff to work at their highest skill set; that’s where technology can help. Live this week from the ACCC 40th National Oncology Conference (NOC), CANCER BUZZ interviews Karline Paul, Associate Operating Officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, about the ways technology can support—not replace—the oncology workforce.

Guest: 

Karline Peal, MBA

Associate Operating Officer

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Resources: 

Trending Now in Cancer Care

Technology Solutions to Mitigate Workforce Shortages

Tech Solutions Ahead!

Data Analytics + Business Intelligence = Operations Insights

Technology That is Transforming Cancer Care

The science of oncology is rapidly evolving, as cancer programs and practices around the US continue to make cutting-edge discoveries in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In addition, there is an increased spotlight on the effects social drivers of health have on cancer care delivery, as health equity initiatives continue to permeate the oncology landscape.

Building on these successes, NCI released the National Cancer Plan on April 3, 2023. The plan outlines goals designed to support the objectives of Cancer Moonshot. In support of this effort, the President’s Cancer Panel held its first National Cancer Plan Stakeholder meeting September 7, 2023.

ACCC was invited to share the association’s key priorities for impacting cancer care in the US. ACCC president Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA, and chief operating officer at Highlands Oncology Group, PA, discusses the meeting and these initiatives.

Guest: 

Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA

President, ACCC

Chief Operating Officer,

Highlands Oncology Group, PA

Fayetteville, AR

Resources: 

• President’s Cancer Panel

• National Cancer Plan