Each year the Association of Community Cancer Centers' (ACCC) Innovator Awards program honors a group of its Cancer Program Members for ingenious ideas and pioneering strategies that advance the goals of improving access, quality, and value in cancer care delivery. This year, more than 50 cancer programs and practices applied for this prestigious award, and 7 were selected through a robust peer review process.
Cancer Care Associates of York, York, Pa. An APP-Physician Model Improves Risk Stratification and Palliative Care. With the understanding that patient education about palliative care is an important component of oncology care, this practice implemented an APP-Physician model to provide this education. Risk-stratification assessment tools establish baseline metrics related to deficits in the areas of nutrition, psychosocial, performance and mental status changes, skin breakdown, fall risks, incontinence risk, and treatment tolerance, as well as existing co-morbidities. Providers then use these outcome measurements to make patient-specific, safe treatment decisions about chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation.
Cone Health Cancer Center, Greensboro, N.C. Implementing a Transportation Hub: A Holistic Approach to a Systemic Problem. After data showed that individuals living in two ZIP codes had a 12 percent and 15 percent no-show rate, compared to the average of 2.9 percent across all ZIP codes, this cancer program implemented a screening tool to initiate transportation discussions with patients before "non-compliance" with treatment became an issue. A pilot program addressed identified patient needs using an online transportation platform. Overall no-show appointments decreased by 48 percent and no-show incidence from patients living in the two at-risk ZIP codes dropped to 1.2 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively.
Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Fairfax, Va. Remote Monitoring of Patients with Cancer During COVID-19. A remote monitoring program for clinically stable COVID-19 positive patients with cancer was piloted, where patients reported vital measurements three times daily on equipment provided by the cancer program. Data was collected on a password-protected patient dashboard and monitored 12 hours a day, 7 days a week by advanced practice providers. The advanced practice providers worked in tandem with physicians to make clinical determinations on appropriate next steps, documenting provider communications and clinical recommendations in the EHR.
Wayne State University School of Medicine; Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit. The DISCO App: A Patient-Focused Tool to Reduce Financial Toxicity. The DISCO (DIScussions of COst) app educates patients with cancer about potential treatment-related costs and generates tailored questions to prompt cost-related conversations with providers. In a pilot study, the app significantly improved patients' self-efficacy for managing treatment costs and interacting with providers while decreasing cost-related distress. Most important, 100 percent of these video-recorded clinic visits included a cost discussion on topics ranging from patient co-pays to transportation.
Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Albuquerque, NM. Developing a Cancer Care and Community Paramedicine Partnership. To reduce emergency department utilization and exposure to infectious disease, this pilot program identified symptoms that could be appropriately managed in a lower level of care setting-a patient's home. A mobile integrated health team provided clinical interventions and wellness checks, such as hydration and labs, from the safety of the patients' homes. Throughout 2020, the care team made 652 home visits to 169 patients with cancer.
University of Colorado Cancer Center, UCHealth-Oncology Services, Aurora. 3D Virtual Reality: Changing the Standard of Care for Cancer Patients and Caregivers. Virtual reality (VR) is uniquely positioned to improve patient understanding of cancer and its treatments. During clinical consultations, radiation oncology staff use a mobile VR cart to provide 3D patient-specific CT, MRI, and PET-CT imaging to enhance provider and patient interaction, improve patient education, and reduce patient distress. Hear results from a clinical study that captured both quantitative and qualitative data on patient acceptance and perceived usefulness of VR in cancer education and treatment.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, Tenn. Oncology Capture of ED Patients with Incidental Radiologic Findings. Increased use of CT scans in emergency departments (ED) leads to higher rates of incidental radiologic findings, including adrenal masses and pulmonary lung nodules. In this "pull" model for follow-up care, ED providers use the EHR to prompt oncology nurse navigators and case managers to contact patients with incidental findings. Prompt follow-up allows for earlier diagnosis and treatment-improving care and the patient experience. From a business perspective, the cancer program realized financial gains through additional visits, procedures, surgeries, radiology scans, and/or labs.
Learn more about these innovations, including how to replicate similar initiatives at your cancer program or practice, at the ACCC 38th National Oncology Conference, October 20-22, 2021, in Austin, Texas. New this year at the conference-in response to member feedback-meeting attendees can participate in two half-day interactive workshops:
* Workshop 1. Making the Business Case for Comprehensive Cancer Care Services
* Workshop 2. Understanding Implicit Bias in Cancer Care
* Workshop 3. Finding Joy and Improving Self Care
* Workshop 4. Coalition Building in Your Community
These workshops are a key component of the ACCC 2021-2022 President's Theme. ACCC President Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, ACCC President and Program Manager of Quality and Research, Cancer Support Services & Compassion for the Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, Ore., selected as her theme: Real-World Lessons from COVID-19: Driving Oncology Care Forward. "Lessons Learned" include:
* Health equity and social justice are critical drivers of quality cancer care.
* Delivery of high-impact comprehensive cancer care services requires innovative care models with demonstrable return on investment.
* A culture that supports professional well-being and resilience is essential to practice sustainability and both provider and patient satisfaction.
In addition to the 2021 ACCC Innovator Award presentations and workshops, a second track of "how-to" sessions will focus on a wide range of additional quality and process improvement initiatives. Learn more and register today at http://accc-cancer.org/NOC.
Connect With ACCC
* Find resources online: http://accc-cancer.org
* Learn about membership: mailto:[email protected]