New Oncology Jobs

Director of Operations;
Practice Manager;
Director of Oncology;
Research Supervisor;
Cancer Program Administrator;
and more...

Now you can easily place your job ad from our site! LEARN HOW

Check out ACCC's online employment posting.

ACCC Events

September 17-20, 2008
ACCC's 25th National Oncology Economics Conference
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, California

Meeting Information.

More Events.

Online CE Blackboard

A resource devoted to online oncology education for you and your team.

Check out the offerings.

Join ACCC's Listserv

Network with your colleagues and find answers to your questions.

Joining is easy. It just takes a minute.

Cancer Program Guidelines

ACCC Cancer Program Guidelines are designed to assist cancer programs that want to develop and/or maintain a comprehensive interdisciplinary program.

ACCC Launches New Online Services and Database

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has brought its membership database to an entirely new level. Users are now able to update ONLINE their contact information and other individual or organizational data, renew membership, and more—all in real time, with changes taking effect immediately.

NOTE: If you haven't done so already, you'll have to log on to the Members-only section of ACCC’s website. Type in your email address and the initial default password: Password1. Once you’re inside the secure My ACCC area, you can change your password.

How to navigate My ACCC, the secure section of ACCC's website.

• My Information. Take a look. Your profile information can be edited and updated.
• My Transactions. If you place an order or register for a meeting, you can find information about your activities here.
• Find Individual Members and Find Cancer Programs. This is ACCC's handy online directory.
• Online Event Registration. Both ACCC members and non-member visitors can register for ACCC meetings, events, and educational programs.
• Online Store. Use our secure server to order or subscribe to ACCC publications.
• Members-Only Content. Here is the ACCC Members-Only section, which allows you to browse through ALL archived Oncology Issues, find position descriptions and benchmarking information, reimbursement questions, and ACCC surveys.
• ACCC Publications. Member and nonmember visitors can browse through ACCC publications, including Oncology Issues, Oncology Issues special supplements, and the ACCC Compendia-Based Drug Bulletin.

 Click here to get started. You'll be directed to the new ACCC-member log-in page.

ACCC Signs on to ONS Letter, Urges Support for "Nurse Reinvestment Act"

ACCC signed on to the May 14, 2008, letter sponsored by the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) that urges support for the "Nurse Reinvestment Act." The letter was sent to the U.S. House and Senate Labor-Health and Human Services (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittees.

"As organizations dedicated to ensuring that individuals with cancer have access to high-quality care, we respectfully request you support a FY 2009 allocation of $200 million for implementation of the 'Nurse Reinvestment Act' and the other nursing workforce development programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)," the letter stated.

By providing $200 million in FY 2009 to federal nursing workforce programs Congress will be providing much-needed resources to help ease the nursing shortage and reduce its adverse effect on patient care and cancer research.

 Click here to read the ONS-sponsored letter.

Call for ACCC Annual Awards Nominations

ACCC is soliciting nominations for its three annual awards: the Annual Achievement Award, the Clinical Research Award, and the David King Community Clinical Scientist Award.

• The Clinical Research Award recognizes distinguished individuals whose research has significantly impacted the oncology patient, family, and/or community. Recent recipients include David H. Johnson, MD; Lodovico Balducci, MD; and Charles L. Loprinzi, MD. Presented at ACCC's Fall National Oncology Economics Conference.
• The Annual Achievement Award recognizes distinguished individuals in a wide variety of fields who have made outstanding contributions to community cancer care and to patients with cancer.  Recent recipients include Judah Folkman, MD; Harmon J. Eyre, MD; and H. Lee Moffitt. Presented at ACCC's Annual National Meeting.
• The David King Community Clinical Scientist Award recognizes active community clinical research leaders. The award winner will become a lifetime member of the ACCC National Academy of Community Oncology Scientists, which will serve as a valuable resource to ACCC, NCI, pharmaceutical companies, and other organizations involved in community cancer research. Nominees must demonstrate leadership in the development, participation, and evaluation of clinical studies and/or be active in the development of new screening, risk assessment, treatment, or supportive care programs for cancer patients. They can be CCOP, CGOP, or independent investigators. Nominees must not be full-time faculty at universities, pharmaceutical companies, or research institutions. Previous winners include John Philip Kuebler, MD, PhD; Richard C. Frank, MD; Stephen S. Grubbs, MD; and Alan P. Lyss, MD. Presented at ACCC's Annual National Meeting.

Want to nominate a colleague for any of these awards? Deadline for nominations is Friday, May 23, 2008. Contact Jason Peller at jpeller@accc-cancer.org for a nomination form.

Innovative Prostate Cancer Programs: Do You Have One?

ACCC is launching a quality care initiative that identifies model prostate cancer programs and seeks over the next two years to "transform" the way prostate cancer care is delivered in the community setting. We are looking for centers that have well-established prostate programs in multidisciplinary care, including multidisciplinary clinics and/or tumor conferences. If you believe your prostate program is unique or innovative in this respect, we would like to hear from you. At the same time, if you know of other centers with such integrated, innovative prostate programs, please let us know.

The new project is made possible by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis.

Send your ideas and contacts to LuAnne Bankert at labankert@accc-cancer.org.

ACCC to Launch New Survey: "Benchmarking Trends in Cancer Care"

In a few weeks all ACCC Delegate Representatives will be receiving ACCC's new survey "Benchmarking Trends in Cancer Care," which seeks to identify and compare trends in cancer services and organizational performance. When data are analyzed and published, results will help member organizations evaluate their own program’s performance relative to similar programs. The new survey is a joint project between ACCC and Eli Lilly and Company.

Heard on the ACCC Listserv

Here are three recent exchanges on the topic of chemotherapy mixing/dosing policy from ACCC's listserv.

• Topic: Calculating chemotherapy doses.
  We have a hospital-based inpatient and outpatient program. We have a pharmacy in the Infusion Center that does all the chemotherapy mixing for the inpatient as well as the outpatient setting. Since the bulk of chemotherapy is given outpatient, it allows us to have the expertise where it is most needed. The pharmacists become very familiar with the calculations and what the standard dosing is for each regimen. When we begin using a new drug or regimen, the pharmacists are instrumental in assisting the physician with dosing and side effects. Kitty Sorlie, RN, MHA, OCN, Billings Clinic, Billings, Mont.
• Topic: Double signatures.
  Dose basis is in meter square or mg per kg, and both pharmacy and nursing have a requirement to be providing a double check and double signature to verify correct calculations and dosing basis. Maureen Cahill MSN, AOCN, Banner Children's Hospital at Banner Desert Medical Center, Mesa, Ariz.
• Topic: Chemotherapy guidelines.
  There are good standards and guidelines regarding oncology pharmacy that have been developed by members of the Association of Community Cancer Centers, including the current president of ACCC, pharmacist Ernie Anderson. They are worth taking a look at. Click here to go to Chapter 4, Section 5. Dale Fuller, MD, Dallas, Tex.

HOW TO JOIN. More than 540 of your colleagues are already exchanging information and networking. The ACCCExchange listserv is an added benefit of membership that provides an ongoing forum for discussion on important topics such as reimbursement issues, managing your cancer center or oncology practice, new technology purchase and implementation, and other professional concerns.

1. How do you sign up? Easy. Click here. Type in your email address, name, and pick a password. That's all you need to do.
2. How do you send a message via the listserv? Once you are accepted into the listserv, you'll be able to exchange information by sending an email to www.acccexchange@accc-cancer.org. E-mail messages are sent to all members subscribed to the listserv when you click REPLY TO ALL. To reply just to the individual, click on REPLY.

 Click here to visit the listserv Archive. Then search by keyword.

ACCC's CE Blackboard: New Continuing Education Programs for You

New educational programs have been posted to the ACCC Continuing Education (CE) Blackboard, an Internet resource devoted to on-line oncology education. ACCC members have easy access to a variety of timely oncology education programs from premier CE providers.

• Satellite Broadcast, Webcast and Teleconference
  Therapeutic Advances in the Treatment and Management of Multiple Myeloma
  May 20, 2008, Live Broadcast at 12:00 pm, EST. (Rebroadcasted at 3:00 pm, EST for enduring educational credit only). Click here to register.
  
  This simulcast will feature the latest data concerning safety, efficacy, and patient management considerations in treatment regimens, including novel agent-based regimens. This activity is for hematologists, oncologists, nurses, and pharmacists. 1.0 CME, 1.0 CNE, 1.0 CPE.
  
  The May 20, 2008, simulcast on Multiple Myeloma is accredited by the CBCE and powered by Trinity Workforce Learning.
  
  
• Colorectal Cancer: Pathway to Survival
  A virtual lecture program for generalist nurses and pharmacists, oncology nurse specialists including advanced practice nurses, physician assistants, and oncology pharmacists who provide care to patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) across a variety of practice settings. 1.5 CNE & CPE
  
• Special Report: Supportive Care Issues in Cancer: No. 1
  A newsletter for hematologists/oncologists and medical oncologists within academic and community settings, nurses who are members of ONS, and pharmacists, including members of the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA), with a special interest in hematology or oncology. 1.25 CME & CNE, 1.0 CPE
• Special Report: Supportive Care Issues in Cancer No. 2
  A newsletter for hematologists/oncologists and medical oncologists within academic and community settings, oncology nurses and pharmacists, including members of the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association (HOPA), with a special interest in hematology or oncology. 1.25 CME, 1.3 CNE, 1.0 CPE
  
• Hot Topics in Colorectal Cancer for the Oncology APN
  A virtual lecture program for advanced practice oncology nurses who care for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) as well as their families or nurses interested in the topic who may care for this population in the future. 2.0 CNE
  
  

These four programs are made available by the Meniscus Educational Institute.

 Click here to visit ACCC's CE Blackboard. You'll find more programs.

Disclaimer: Any links to non-ACCC information are provided as a courtesy. They do not constitute an endorsement of the linked materials by ACCC. The information presented reflects the views of the faculty/authors of the medical education organization(s) only and are not those of ACCC.

Last-Minute Glitch Hampers Final NPI Implementation

As the final May 23 deadline for a National Provider Identifier (NPI) quickly approaches, many physicians around the country are scrambling to ensure that they have the correct type of NPI, a standard ID number that will be required for Medicare and all private payers. According to some provider trade groups, problems surfaced May 7 when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) conducted an exercise that included having physicians submit test claims only with the NPI number.

A physician's NPI must match the enrollment record in Medicare. Solo doctors have a type 1 NPI. Those in larger practices must have a Type II NPI, or organizational NPI. What happened after the May 7 exercise is that some physicians around the country realized they didn’t have a Type II NPI, but should have, according to "Inside HealthPolicy.com," on May 19, 2008.

CMS has made corrections to the enrollment process a top priority. As of May 13, the CMS official said that the number of enrollment corrections that are still outstanding is relatively few and there is a backlog of corrections that is relatively small. After May 23, Medicare will reject claims not submitted with the NPI.

The NPI was created to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and federal administrative simplification laws. Physicians and practice administrators had worried that the implementation of the NPI would mirror problems that occurred during the phase-in of the HIPAA laws. They admit, privately, that the NPI phase-in has been much less harrowing than that of HIPAA mandates.

State Medical Oncology Societies Host Upcoming Meetings

A number of oncology state societies have scheduled membership meetings in 2008, including:

• Arizona Clinical Oncology Society, Oct. 11, 2008, Tucson
• Hawaii Society of Clinical Oncology, Nov. 22, 2008, Honolulu
• Illinois Medical Oncology Association, Nov. 12, 2008, Rosemont
• Indiana Medical Oncology Association, Oct. 15, 2008, Indianapolis
• Minnesota Society of Clinical Oncology, Oct. 16, 2008, Minneapolis
• Missouri Cancer Coalition, Nov. 7, 2008, Columbia, Mo.
• North Carolina Oncology Association, Aug. 15-16, 2008, Cary
• South Carolina Oncology Society, Aug. 8-9, 2008, Charleston
• Tennessee Oncology Practice Society, Sept. 26, 2008, Nashville
• Texas Society Medical Oncology, Oct. 4, 2008, Fort Worth
• Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists, Oct. 3-4, 2008, Williamsburg