Association of Community Cancer Centers Honored 14 Cancer Programs for Their Innovations
ROCKVILLE, MD – October 3, 2011 - The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) announced the winners of the first annual ACCC Innovator Awards, honoring member programs that have exhibited forward-thinking strategic planning and developed pioneering programs and replicable models. Fourteen cancer programs were recognized at ACCC’s 28th National Oncology Conference in Seattle, Wash., on October 21, 2011.
“From nearly 100 submissions, 14 ACCC-member programs were selected to receive a 2011 ACCC Innovator Award,” said ACCC President Thomas Whittaker, MD, FACP. “These community cancer centers are quite diverse—representing all regions of the country, programs of all sizes, and with varying levels of resources. They share, however, the will, the drive, and the spirit to leverage technology, improve planning and management processes, and empower their staff and their patients.”
Videos of the award winners are available at: www.youtube.com/user/ACCCvision.
The following cancer programs are recipients of the 2011 ACCC Innovator Award:
- Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, Cancer Center, Milwaukee, Wisc., developed objective criteria to justify its ongoing and future capital needs in such areas as radiation oncology equipment and robotic surgery technology across its entire system of acute care hospitals, outpatient cancer clinics, and radiation oncology sites.
- Bridgeport Hospital, Norma F. Pfriem Cancer Institute, Bridgeport, Conn., developed a unique tool to empower patients: a portable, streamlined, patient-friendly document called the Patient Passport.
- Holy Cross Hospital Cancer Institute, Silver Spring, Md., creatively utilized a variety of existing virtual technologies, such as video chat, to streamline care, consultation, and decision-making, which benefits patients, physicians, and family members.
- Kansas City Cancer Center, Overland Park, Kans., launched an innovative training program to provide Lean Six Sigma certification to its managers, supervisors, and team leads. Principles of Lean Six Sigma have long been applied in the manufacturing industry to eliminate waste and defects and to increase customer satisfaction.
- Memorial University Medical Center, Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute, Savannah, Ga., made it their mission to reduce tobacco-related illness and death in their community through student education about the dangers of tobacco use.
- Mountain States Tumor Institute, St. Luke's Regional Medical Center, Boise, Idaho, improved documentation and follow-up within its new oral chemotherapy program to allow for better continuity of care for patients and better safety outcomes as well.
- MultiCare Health System, MultiCare Regional Cancer Center, Tacoma, Wash., developed an innovative approach to coordinate a continuum of technologies across system-wide care locations.
- Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion at St. Joseph’s/Candler, Savannah, Ga.; Harbin Clinic, Rome, Ga.; and The Medical Center, Inc., John B. Amos Cancer Center, Columbus, Ga., developed best practices and outcome measures relating to breast health services navigation. They shared aggregate data, promoted efficiencies, and increased quality within the services provided for breast cancer patients.
- Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), Knight Cancer Institute, Portland, Ore., sought to deliver the required and appropriate pharmacy care to different community infusion locations. OHSU developed a remote medication verification technology that reduced risk, improved safety, and saved about $450,000 in yearly personnel expenses.
- Southside Regional Medical Center Cancer Center, Petersburg, Va., assured appropriate and timely assessment, referrals, and care to meet the fertility-related needs of childbearing-age cancer patients.
- Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, Marsha & Jimmy Gibbs Regional Cancer Center, Spartanburg, S.C., developed a successful “one-time survivorship visit” to transition cancer patients to another team at the completion of their acute care.
- University of Colorado Hospital, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colo., tackled the strategic planning process for their cancer service line through novel methods of communication and data sharing.
Recipients will share their award-winning innovations at presentations during ACCC’s 28th National Oncology Conference in Seattle, Wash.
Since 1974, the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has served as the leading national multidisciplinary organization that sets the standard for quality care for patients with cancer. ACCC is dedicated to promoting professional learning opportunities and to providing a forum for members to network and enhance their skills in the business, clinical and management aspects of care for the cancer community. More than 17,000 cancer care professionals from approximately 900 hospitals and more than 1,200 private practices are affiliated with ACCC. Our unique membership includes all members of the cancer care team: medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, cancer program administrators and medical directors, pharmacists, oncology nurses, oncology social workers, and cancer program data managers. For more information, visit ACCC's website at www.accc-cancer.org. Follow us on Facebook and on ACCCBuzz, ACCC's online blog, www.acccbuzz.wordpress.com.
