Maximizing the Role of APPs in Oncology Care

Advanced practice providers (APPs) are essential members of the cancer care team with roles that vary depending on institutional policies and state regulations. Across cancer programs, empowering APPs to work at the top of their scope leads to stronger care delivery and improved patient care and outcomes. To support this, several state oncology societies hosted a webinar series highlighting effective strategies for optimizing the role of APPs.

The second webinar in the state oncology societies’ series on APPs, Maximizing the Role of APPs in Oncology Care, was hosted virtually on July 1, 2025. The 3 speakers possess diverse clinical backgrounds, representing different regions of the country, job titles, and types of cancer care centers. However, they are all united by their role as APPs, and proud of this title. “I think it’s important to use a term that brings us together as a team and does not divide us,” said Debra Jemison, PA-C, MPAS, physician assistant (PA) at New York Cancer & Blood Specialists and one of the webinar speakers.

Define The Scope

For APPs to work to the full scope of their practice, that scope has to be defined. Elizabeth Kang, PA-C, DFAAPA, works in a high-risk breast cancer clinic at Renown Health, a hospital in Reno, Nevada. Its APP Advisory Council sent out a survey that found 17% of APPs did not feel that they were practicing at the top of their license. The findings revealed a lack of consistency in how departments defined APP roles, which created confusion around how APPs could—and should—contribute to the care team.

The council responded by revisiting and standardizing the institution’s guidelines for APPs. “One of the goals we had was to update and modernize the scope of practice,” Kang said. This included adding language to reflect collaboration and updating role descriptions to reflect new technologies, such as robotic surgery.

APPs in Leadership

The scope of practice for APPs is at least partially determined by each state’s regulations. No one understands the role better than the individuals doing the job, so it is important for APPs to have a seat at the table when decisions are being made about the scope of their work.

One of Kang’s earliest experiences in leadership was in 2012 when the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners wanted to pass bylaws that would restrict the practice of PAs without providing any clear evidence to support that decision. She and a few colleagues started a grassroots effort to ensure they had representatives in the room to advocate on behalf of PAs. They were successful in that effort, but Nevada still has a reduced scope of practice compared with other states, and they continue to advocate for improvements in the ability of PAs to work at the full scope of practice. ACCC and the state oncology societies provide state-level advocacy resources that Kang has found helpful in this context.

Carlin Callaway, DNP, MS, RN, ACNP-BC, ACNS-BC, assistant professor and lead advanced practice provider in the Division of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, has also found meaningful leadership roles in her institution and state. She first took a position representing the 28 APPs in ambulatory medicine in her academic center, giving her colleagues a voice in the operation of her workplace. Then, she took this experience to the state level, serving as the APP liaison to the Rocky Mountain Oncology Society (RMOS). Through her leadership roles, Callaway seeks to influence the scope of APPs in Colorado.

These leadership experiences were so meaningful that Callaway began encouraging her colleagues to step into similar positions on credentialing boards. “It’s been an incredible opportunity for these colleagues of mine to see how the organization works and to represent us, to make sure that we exist in the bylaws, and that we are present throughout the organization,” she said. 

Success Starts With Onboarding and Training

All 3 presenters emphasized the importance of a robust onboarding process. Jemison’s cancer care center has been using OneOncology’s APP Academy as an onboarding tool for the last year and a half. This 6-month training course is designed for community-based practices, like New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, and emphasizes learning through working on a team.

A previous webinar in this series discussed approaching APP onboarding in different types of cancer care centers. Read our previous blog post, Setting Up for Success: Best Practices for Oncology APP Onboarding, to learn more.

Jemison also emphasized the importance of continued support beyond onboarding. “If we’re going to put the time and resources into onboarding and training new APPs, we have to keep them, and that has to always be most important,” she said. Her cancer center approaches this issue by keeping training separate from mentorship. Each APP is connected to multiple individuals they can turn to for questions and support. Some of these relationships are short-term, like those with APPs who facilitate onboarding training, while other mentors may last the span of a career.

Who Benefits From the Success of APPs

APPs are an integral part of the cancer care team, both for the patient and physician. They often lead patient education and develop close relationships with those whom they treat, while also taking on tasks that allow physicians to see more patients. By creating an environment where APPs are encouraged and able to work to their full scope of practice, the rest of the care team and the patients they serve will benefit as well.

This webinar series spotlights APPs who know the job well and know what they need to achieve a long and successful career in cancer care. Each speaker touched on practical areas of improvement but also emphasized respect and support for these individuals as skilled and capable health care workers. “In a time where we’re focused on patients, and customer satisfaction, I think it’s important for us to also focus on employee advantages and employee satisfaction,” Callaway said.

Find more information on this APP webinar series, including speaker profiles and links to the webinar recordings, with additional resources on the Rocky Mountain Oncology Society, Empire State Hematology and Oncology Association, North Carolina Oncology Association, Iowa Oncology Society, Nevada Oncology Society, and Washington State Medical Oncology SocietyAPP resources webpages.