Researchers have made great strides in identifying mutations that drive uncontrolled cellular growth and, ultimately, cancer. There remains a well-recognized disconnect, however, between guideline-concordant testing and real-word clinical practice. Medically underserved populations in particular face significant challenges to accessing the latest advances in cancer diagnostics.
For example, a 2019 National Cancer Institute study found that, in 2013 and 2014, of 83,000 women from large cancer registries in California and Georgia, only about 25% of those with breast cancer and 33% of those with ovarian cancer were tested for known harmful genetic variants. While large racial and socioeconomic disparities in testing rates were not observed among patients with breast cancer, among patients with ovarian cancer, testing rates were far lower for Black patients than White patients (22% vs. 34%) and for uninsured patients than insured patients (21% vs. 35%).
In response to these disparities, some oncology practices have developed innovations to remove barriers to widespread biomarker testing. One such solution is for cancer programs to designate a “precision medicine steward”—a navigation lead that serves as the point person for removing barriers to testing so all eligible patients are appropriately tested.
This program will highlight effective Precision Medicine Steward programs, evaluate challenges and explore best practices while defining the unique responsibilities of the steward role. This program will demonstrate the utility and feasibility of the steward role as an important member of the multidisciplinary panel within the oncology team.
For more information on this project, please contact the ACCC Provider Education department.
In this video, ACCC members share highlights from their journey to streamline precision medicine testing processes and improve the patient biomarker navigation experience through the addition of precision medicine stewards.
Each section of this guide pairs key discussion questions with a practical activity, including drafting a problem statement, defining the role’s day-to-day responsibilities, and evaluating potential staffing approaches. Teams can compare a dedicated position, physician-administrator dyad, committee, or hybrid model based on their program’s resources and needs. Each section also includes practical insights from programs that have implemented the role, such as the importance of engaging both physician and administrative champions to sponsor and sustain the initiative.
As part of its precision medicine stewardship education program, ACCC recently spoke with Astera Cancer Care in New Jersey about its innovative approach to meet the demands of increased precision medicine testing by creating a centralized molecular processing department. Access this document to learn more about how this model significantly streamlined processes and reduced the amount of time between testing and patient treatment.
As more cancer patients undergo biomarker testing, financial advocates play a key role in ensuring that patients receive the highest quality of care without the added stress of economic hardship. Read ACCC's “A Financial Advocate's Guide to Biomarker Testing” to learn more.
This webinar will highlight how community cancer programs are using a new approach to optimize biomarker testing processes through the addition of a precision medicine steward. Precision medicine experts will outline strategies and key metrics that demonstrate how precision medicine stewardship can improve coordination and streamline workflows to ensure timely, equitable testing for patients who may benefit from targeted therapy.
ACCC is announcing the release of a suite of powerful case studies from member institutions that highlight innovations to remove barriers and streamline precision medicine workflows.
ACCC launched its Precision Medicine Stewardship Program to highlight institutions that have successfully built the infrastructure, workflows, and leadership models needed to deliver precision medicine at scale. TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, offers a compelling example of what it takes to move from aspiration to execution.
In a recent conversation with ACCC, Kevan Simms, MBA, PMP, Assistant Vice President of Precision Medicine at Ochsner Health, shared how his organization is building a scalable stewardship model that not only improves current oncology care but also prepares for the future.
ACCCBuzz spoke with Luis E. Raez, MD, FACP, FCCP, to learn more about the importance of closing the gap in access to biomarker testing and strategies to improve equity and inclusion in precision medicine.
With the variety of models and titles that have emerged under precision medicine stewardship, learn how one cancer program is breaking down the this complex landscape into streamlined workflows to improve efficiency and better support growing test volumes.
ACCC shares how a precision medicine steward—a dedicated navigator focused specifically on biopsy samples and biomarker testing processes and results—can make a daunting biomarker testing process incredibly efficient for cancer programs and practices everywhere.
Dr. John Strickler from Duke Cancer Institute sat down with ACCCBuzz to talk about molecular profiling and data, including the cancer institute's own journey in oncology precision medicine.
ACCC shares how Sanford Health introduced its own “precision medicine steward” through the development of a pilot Oncology Nurse Navigator, Genomics (ONNG) role, which has improved coordination of its biomarker testing program.
ACCC shares how TriHealth Cancer and Blood Institute, a cancer treatment center with more than 125 locations in Ohio, digitized several steps in its biomarker test ordering process.