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Agenda

Wednesday, October 4

8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Registration Open

8:00 – 9:00 AM
Breakfast for Preconference Attendees

9:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Preconference: Clinical Updates from Chicago – A Focus on What Community Centers Need to Know to Move Their Solid Tumors' Practices Forward 🔻

This 1-day CME meeting will offer practical analyses of the critical knowledge needed to safely and effectively integrate novel strategies into clinical practice. Join Physicians’ Education Resource®, LLC, in Austin, Texas, to earn up to 6.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
Register Now

1:00 – 5:00 PM
ACCC Working Summit: Biomarker Testing—Solutions for EHR Integration

2:00 – 5:00 PM
Preconference: ACCC Financial Advocacy Network

3:30 – 5:00 PM
Examining the Current Environment for Value-Based Care 🔻

Kathy W. Oubre, MS
CEO
Pontchartrain Cancer Center

Colt Hatcher, MS
Vice President of Business Operations
The Center of Cancer and Blood Disorders

ACCC’s Alternative Payment Model Coalition is focused on addressing concerns about lack of preparedness to perform under new payment models; patient and provider access to the latest treatments; infrastructure; and long-term sustainability. Join us as we discuss the benefits and challenges to participating in CMS’s Enhancing Oncology Model, value-based care under Medicare Advantage, and care delivery and advocacy from the perspective of 2 different health care institutions.

5:30 – 7:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Open

5:30 – 7:00 PM
Poster Presentations

5:30 – 7:00 PM
Opening Reception 🔻

Sponsored by beigene-200x80

Thursday, October 5

7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Registration Open

7:00 – 8:00 AM
Breakfast With Exhibitors

7:00 – 4:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Open

8:00 – 8:15 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:15 – 9:00 AM
Transformational Leadership: Driving Engagement, Innovation, and Excellence in Cancer Care 🔻

Ted A. James, MD, MHCM, FACS
Medical Director and Vice Chair
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Associate Professor of Surgery
Harvard Medical School

As we navigate the modern health care landscape, we grapple with numerous challenges, including workforce shortages, burnout, limited resources, and ongoing fatigue. These realities are particularly acute in the high-demand area of cancer care delivery. More than ever, leaders need robust strategies to overcome these hurdles, and build strong teams and strong cultures capable of meeting the future demands of patient care.

This session delves into the critical role that leaders play in promoting a culture of innovation, inclusion, and excellence in cancer care delivery. Attendees will explore practical aspects of leadership, including team building, effective communication, and emotional intelligence, all foundational to creating an environment of engagement. Drawing on real-world scenarios and proven leadership strategies, this session will empower participants to inspire their teams, foster creative problem-solving, and drive meaningful change. Attendees will also gain valuable insights into enhancing professional satisfaction and, ultimately, improving patient outcomes. The talk will serve as an exploration of the transformative potential of effective leadership in cancer care.  


9:00 – 9:30 AM
star-in-a-circle-red-45x45 A Model for Demonstrating Sustainable Outreach for Cancer Screening🔻

Jamie Ries, RN, CMSRN
Manager of Population Health Support Services
St Elizabeth Cancer Center

For several years, this health care system struggled to find a sustainable program to perform outreach to patients with outstanding orders for lung, breast, and colon cancer screenings. A financial analysis of associated expenses, reimbursement, payer mixture, and downstream revenue of these screening efforts demonstrated positive net return on investment, allowing for expansion and implementation of the Population Health Support Services team to perform this task. In 2022, 12 outreach specialists scheduled visits that accounted for 38% of completed lung cancer screenings and 15% of completed breast cancer screenings for this health care system.

9:30 – 10:00 AM
star-in-a-circle-red-45x45 An Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist Role Improves Quality, Efficiency, Wellness, and Administrative Outcomes🔻

Samantha Skubish, MS, RT(R)(T)
Chief Technical Director, Radiation Oncology Services
Mount Sinai Health System

Kimberly Smith, MPA, FACHE
Vice President, Radiation Oncology Services
Mount Sinai Health System

Learn how the creation of the first advanced practice radiation therapist (APRT) role in the United States established a new model of inpatient care, elevating the radiation therapy skill set and allowing for intervention at key points along the radiation oncology care pathway. Outcomes include improved quality, efficiency, and time and cost savings toward value-based care. Working in tandem with a rotation of radiation oncologists, the APRT aims to save physician time and reduce physician burnout by task-shifting and assuming lower-level responsibilities that support the care of resource intensive patient populations.

10:00 – 10:30 AM
Networking Break With Exhibitors

10:30 – 11:00 AM
star-in-a-circle-red-45x45 Closing the Testing Gap: Standardization of Comprehensive Biomarker Testing in NSCLC🔻

Molly Mendenhall, BSN, RN
Director of Quality and Compliance
Oncology Hematology Care, Inc (OHC)

A 1-year quality improvement (QI) project implemented and standardized comprehensive biomarker testing in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Custom data reports and monitoring dashboards ensured practice-wide adoption and sustainability across multiple clinic sites. After increasing biomarker testing rates from 68% to 92.7%, this QI project is now being scaled across the country through The US Oncology Network, McKesson as a best-practice initiative.

11:00 – 11:30 AM
star-in-a-circle-red-45x45 Collaborative Care: A Model for Embedding Counseling in Oncology and Palliative Care🔻

Lauren Burling, LCSW
Collaborative Care Therapist, Supervisor
Rochester Regional Health – Lipson Cancer Institute

Earon Lehning, LMSW
Senior Collaborative Care Therapist
Rochester Regional Health – Lipson Cancer Institute

This cancer program adapted the University of Washington’s Collaborative Care model to embed counseling services into oncology and palliative care across 6 clinic locations. This model allows patients to receive counseling for depression, anxiety, or other psychosocial concerns while in active treatment and survivorship, eliminating many barriers to care. Counseling is provided in person or virtually, ensuring that critical support and mental health care are accessible to all, including patients in rural areas and those who are homebound.

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
star-in-a-circle-red-45x45 Leveraging Technology to Develop an Express Symptom Management Program and Prevent Oncology ED Visits 🔻

Alyssia Crews, MBA
Assistant Vice President
Orlando Health Cancer Institute

Matt Paster
Clinical Data Analyst II
Orlando Health Cancer Institute

Dana Salcedo, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-C
Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Express Symptom Management & Outpatient Infusion
Orlando Health Cancer Institute

A business intelligence-enabled dashboard collected and analyzed data on emergency department (ED) visits, admits, and discharges, which was then used to improve patient triage and evaluation. After targeted in-service training and education to clinical teams and patients on utilization of the Express Symptom Management program, only 2% of patients needed to be seen in the ED, with the rest receiving symptom management by phone, participating in a virtual clinic visit, and/or coming into the infusion suite for in-person assessment and treatment. Improvement efforts around patient self-management and triage to the Express Symptom Management program also included development of a pre- and post-initial infusion visit via MyChart, powered by Epic.

12:00 – 12:30 PM
star-in-a-circle-red-45x45 e-Consults for Immune-Related Toxicities Improve Patient Access and Reduce Costs 🔻

Afreen Idris Shariff, MD, MBBS
Director, Duke Endo Oncology Program, Duke Endocrinology
Duke Cancer Institute

Implementing e-consults for patients experiencing endocrine immune-related adverse events improved patient access and reduced health care utilization. Time to appointment and hospitalizations were reduced from 61 days to 39 days and from 11% to 2%, respectively. To propel integration and scalability, the next step is to ensure adequate reimbursement from payers for these types of e-consults.

12:30 – 1:30 PM
Lunch With Exhibitors

1:00 – 1:30 PM
Networking Luncheon Table Topics

Table 1
HEALTHC(AI)RE: The Age of Algorithms 🔻

leantaas-with-tagline-200x80Led by LeanTaaS

Join us to discuss Artificial Intelligence's emerging role in transforming healthcare. We'll examine the technology's current uses, future potential, and inherent implications. Can AI improve medicine without compromising care? Let's explore its promising yet precarious position.

Justin Kelley, RN
Nurse Informaticist and AI Healthcare Technology Expert

Table 2
Addressing Occupational Burnout in Financial Navigation 🔻

tailormed-200x80Led by TailorMed

Addressing Occupational Burnout in Financial Navigation Borrowing from our unique perspective into hundreds of navigation programs, we explore the key factors contributing to occupational burnout and share practical methods various programs have implemented to work smarter, not harder.

Clara Lambert
Director of Financial Navigation
TailorMed

Table 3
The Efficacy and Tolerability of Liver Directed Therapy When Treating Patients With mCRC 🔻

SirTex-200x80Led by Sirtex

During this time, we will discuss the value and benefits of this NCCN category 2A recommendation using Y90 therapy to control liver metastases. Participants will discuss patient safety and tolerability, and Y90 early treatment protocols that produce high Overall Survival and Progression Free Survival rates and tumor downsizing to resection.

Dr. Laksmi Priya Kannan, MD
Medical Oncology, Hematology
Texas Oncology-Methodist Charlton Cancer Center

1:30 – 2:00 PM
Track 1
Reaching Out for Healthy Women 🔻

Broc Pollinger, MSW, LSW, OSW-C
Manager, Patient Support Services
St Luke’s University Health Network, St Luke’s Cancer Center

This community cancer program mined its electronic health record data to determine the number of uninsured women in its service area who met the criteria for cervical and breast cancer screenings. The number was significant and resulted in a network-wide initiative to increase insurance rates and access to primary care, financial counseling, and case management. A partnership comprised of representatives from hospital administration, rural health clinics, and wellness centers collaborated on the project to support staffing costs, with the network covering screenings, diagnostic testing, radiology studies, and office visit costs. This network of 10 hospitals, spanning 7 counties and 2 states, has plans to screen approximately 1000 uninsured patients. Additionally, network funding partners helped support this project.

Track 2
Leadership Sustainment and Engagement During Challenging Times 🔻

Steve Kennedy
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Tennessee Oncology

The Tennessee Oncology Leadership Academy launched in July 2020 with the purpose of building a culture of collaborative and agile leaders. Since its launch, the academy has enrolled 157 team members, with 88 leaders graduating from the program. The practice has seen a 96% retention rate of these graduates, and 13 graduates have been promoted to new positions. Currently, 69 high-potential team members and/or leaders are enrolled in the academy. Built around a cohort structure and a blended instructional format, the academy offers 4 pathways based on readiness that guide participants through 3 leadership domains: self, other, and organization. The key to the academy’s success is the transition of its instructors into coaches for those who graduate from the program.

2:05 – 2:35 PM
Track 1
Early Identification for Fertility Preservation Improves Referrals in a Community Oncology Practice🔻

Anne Marie Rainey, MSN, RN, CHC, CPHQ
Director of Quality and Value-Based Care
Clearview Cancer Institute

Cleo Valdez, CRNP, AOCNP
Nurse Practitioner
Clearview Cancer Institute

A multidisciplinary team comprised of an advanced practice provider, software developer, and members of the Department of Quality and Value-Based Care developed and implemented an automated process for early identification of adolescent and young adult patients with a cancer diagnosis to enhance fertility counseling and referrals to a reproductive endocrinologist. This new process required provider education and training on fertility preservation, how to conduct needs assessments, patient counseling, and the new referral process. In 2022, referrals to fertility preservation services increased 325%, compared to 2020 and 2021.

Track 2
Pipeline Partners: Developing Training and Recruitment Programs for the Oncology Workforce🔻

Laura Matthews, MBA, MPH
Vice President and Administrator
Inova Schar Cancer Institute

Natalie Brawner, MHA
Senior Director, Cancer Service Line
Inova Schar Cancer Institute

Workforce challenges, including burnout, high turnover, and staff shortages, are some of the most significant issues facing today’s cancer programs and practices. To address these needs, Inova Schar Cancer Institute recently established programs for pipeline development in clinical research, medical dosimetry, medical physics, and phlebotomy, among others. Join the session to learn how to build relationships with educational partners in your community and across the country to develop an oncology pipeline of future candidates for critical job roles.

2:40 – 3:10 PM
Track 1
Closing the Care Gap With Cloud-Based Technology for Real-Time Outreach and Prevention Services🔻

Renea Austin-Duffin, MPA
Vice President, Cancer Support and Outreach
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center – Baton Rouge

Learn how an innovative cloud-based technology platform transformed manual and time-consuming activities into an automated tracking process that operates in real time. The platform collects and reports on cancer screening and detection trends by participant, cancer type, and geographic location. These data improve scheduling and resource allocation, helping to identify screening locations and the community members who should be targeted for specific cancer screenings. Scheduling can be flexed to support demand and/or tailored to include more visits in regions with underserved and at-risk patient populations, for example, those with higher than average cancer mortality rates.

Track 2
Recruiting Strategies: Looking Under the Hood of the Employment Process🔻

Debbie Rimmele, BSN, RN, OCN, CPC
Nurse Retention Specialist
Loyola University Medical Center

Once candidates are in the queue, there are many internal processes that need to go smoothly to offer potential employees the best experience. These steps in the employment process are critical to making a positive first impression. Many candidates are shopping places to work and ensuring a competitive edge means that we need to put our best foot forward in showing off our culture. Ensuring that you have an exciting website, an easily accessible job portal, and are using social media to your advantage are a few strategies to consider. Additionally, showcasing your best assets during the interview process can make a difference. For example, touring candidates and introducing them to potential team members or allowing candidates to shadow can impact how they see you and why they will choose your organization over another hospital or practice.

3:10 – 3:40 PM
Networking Break

3:40 – 4:10 PM
Track 1
Creating a Successful Phase I Research Program in a Community Oncology Practice at Pennsylvania Hospital🔻

Tara Perloff
Clinical Research Program Manager
Penn Medicine, Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital

Hear how this oncology practice enrolled more than 75 patients to interventional phase I clinical trials (Q3 2021 to the present) and, in 1 year, enrolled more patients to therapeutic clinical trials than the last 3 years combined. This pilot initiative to offer phase I clinical research trials is a model that can be successfully and safely replicated by other community cancer programs. Learn how to engage nonacademic physicians in research and operationalize clinical and business operations to create and sustain a successful research program in the community setting.

Track 2
The Competition of Compensation and Benefits: Keeping Up🔻

Tia Foster
Project Director
Northwestern Medicine

Over the past several years, labor costs have sky-rocketed and agency costs have impacted our loyal and dedicated staff. Even when salaries and market norms began to settle, our need to creatively and competitively recruit did not abate. Today, organizations must look at the full value proposition for employees to recruit and retain good staff. To do this, start by evaluating how well you are communicating to staff about other investments and benefits beyond salary and PTO. Then, think creatively about benefit options that provide wellness and family support. This session goes beyond salary and premium pay to brainstorms ideas that can help current employees recognize your organization’s interest in employee well-being and situations and help attract new candidates.

4:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Closes

4:15 – 4:45 PM
Track 1
Integrating Peer Navigation Into a Distress Screening Workflow🔻

Alyson B. Moadel-Robblee, PhD
Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Founding Director, BOLD Cancer Wellness Program
Deputy Director, Community Engagement and Cancer Health Equity
Montefiore Einstein Center Cancer Care

After a survey of primarily Latino/Latina and Black patients showed that 46% were experiencing high levels of stress, this cancer program looked to improve referrals to supportive care services. A quality improvement initiative integrated an existing “treatment buddy” program into Epic’s distress screening workflow. This was adjacent to the social work referral to see if peer navigation could help reduce distress and barriers to care. An evaluation of patients who used this program showed improvements in many areas, including reduced stress levels, increased trust in their medical care, and the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle and track their medical treatment and appointments. Providers have also reported high levels of satisfaction with the program, resulting in a dramatic increase in referrals.

Track 2
The ABCs of Retention: Employee Recognition and Appreciation, Manager Support, Wellness and Workforce Resiliency, and Job Flexibility🔻

Tiffani Darling
Director, Office of Wellbeing
Northwestern Medicine

Today’s workforce does not want to simply show up, do their job, and go home. People want to work for organizations who care about the totality of their lives. In many organizations, technology has created a blended life and work style, in a 24/7 model as we continuously stay connected, yet work/life balance and wellness have never been more important to staff. Successful organization find ways to support all areas of their employees’ lives and well-being. Begin your journey by taking the time to understand the needs of your staff through tailored surveys or focus groups. Think creatively about what your organization can do for its employees in areas like financial coordination, housing resources, access to transportation, and healthy living, such as food and exercise. This session will explore the comprehensive needs of our employees and how organizations and leaders can best support those needs.

4:50 – 5:20 PM
Track 1
Reimagining Cancer Screening: A Population Health Imperative🔻

Michael Koroscik, MBA, MHA
Vice President, Oncology
Allina Health Cancer Institute

In 2020, Allina Health Cancer Institute, a large comprehensive cancer program based in Minnesota, engaged in a population health reimbursement model with its largest payer. As lung cancer remains the deadliest and costliest cancer in the United States, this cancer program significantly expanded its lung and other cancer screening programs to include a primary care hub with mobile screening options. This expansion included the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, precision medicine, and other key clinical, strategic, and operational considerations. Take home key insights and lessons learned in partnering with payers on value-based models, developing a population health strategy in oncology based on successful outreach and engagement strategies, and using AI and other new technologies and medical advancements to improve early cancer screening and detection.

Track 2
Leadership Visibility and Hardwiring the Employee Relationship🔻

Jason Fleming, MD, FACS
Chair and Program Lead, Gastrointestinal Oncology
Moffitt Cancer Center

Being an organization where everyone wants to work is not about the location or a building. Instead, it is about the leaders and being the type of leader who everyone wants to work for and with. Leaders who retain good employees do not do so automatically. Review the concepts, training, and steps required to become a leader people respect and appreciate, and one who can grow and mentor a strong team. Successful leaders are visible, personable, and know the roles and understand the needs of their staff. Empathetic leaders know when to listen intently and when to speak. Role model leaders embody and live the values of the organization and set the course for their teams. Learn how to retain key team players through opportunities to learn, train, and mentor. These skills will help deepen the bond and sense of belonging for your staff, your leaders, and your organization.

Friday, October 6

7:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Registration Open

7:30 – 8:30 AM
Breakfast With Exhibitors

7:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Exhibit Hall Open

8:30 – 10:00 AM
Women Leaders in Oncology: A Panel Discussion🔻

Moderator:
Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA
Executive Vice President
Texas Oncology

Panelists:
Christina Cha, MD
Radiation Oncologist

Renea Duffin, MPA

Vice President, Cancer Support and Outreach
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Kathryn E. Hudson, MD
Director of Survivorship
Texas Oncology

Kristen Kanipe, MBA, MPH
Vice President of Operations – South
Texas Oncology

Sandeep Parsad, PharmD, MBA, BCOP
Director of Pharmacy - Cancer Service Line, Ambulatory & Home Infusion, and Investigational Drug Services
UChicago Medicine

Emily Touloukian, DO
President
Coastal Cancer Center

Women in health care leadership, both physicians and nonphysicians, continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles and have a more difficult time advancing their careers than their male counterparts. A frank discussion about the importance of championing women leaders and what it takes for them to succeed in the field of oncology. Women face different issues than their male counterparts, including child-bearing and other familial considerations. Accordingly, many women need leadership opportunities on their own terms and timelines. Learn why it’s critical to invest in the leadership development of women, with a special focus on mentorship and the importance of developing and/or joining a cohort of support. These experienced leaders will share resources and strategies, discuss the value of volunteerism, and discuss other “tricks of the trade” to grow and become a strong and empathetic leader of programs and people.

10:00 – 10:45 AM
Empowering the Next Generation: Practical Insights for Establishing a Diverse Education Pipeline in an Emerging Cancer Center🔻

Alexa Cumming
Undergraduate Student, Neuroscience and Prehealth
Diversity in Cancer Research Program Intern
The University of Texas at Austin

Brittney Fernandez, MS
Research Coordinator
Steve Hicks School of Social Work
The University of Texas at Austin

Lailea Noel, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor
Steve Hicks School of Social Work
Affiliate Faculty
Dell Medical School
The University of Texas at Austin

Kristen E. Wynn
Program Manager
Livestrong Cancer Institutes
Dell Medical School
The University of Texas at Austin

Livestrong Cancer Institutes at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin began in 2016, opening its outpatient clinic 2 years later in 2018. Championed by S. Gail Eckhardt, MD, FASCO, education and mentorship are deeply embedded in our culture, allowing our cancer program to intentionally and actively empower the next generation of clinicians, researchers, and health care providers to join us in our work to improve cancer care for all patients. Take part in an authentic conversation with UT Austin faculty, staff, and students about the symbiotic nature of successful pipeline programs, why it’s worth starting early with middle and high school students, lessons learned so far, and how to jump in and get started with everything else on your plate.

10:45 – 11:15 AM
Networking Break With Exhibitors

11:15 – 11:45 AM
Track 1
Money Talks: A Framework for C-Suite and Administrators to Eliminate Cost Barriers to Cancer Care🔻

Margaret Liang MD, MSHPM
Gynecologic Oncologist and Health Services Researcher
Program Director for the Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship Program
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center

Financial navigation is a key component of comprehensive cancer care. Learn how to use ACCC’s Financial Advocacy Services guidelines to develop and implement business-focused financial advocacy programs while ensuring the community you serves has access to high-quality cancer care.

Track 2
Start at the Beginning: The Continuous Cycle of Feedback, Communication, and Evaluation🔻

Maria M. Gonzalez, MPH
Executive Director - Cancer Destination Service Line
Stanford Health Care

No employee relationship ends after orientation or picks up at an annual review. Managers must afford their staff ample opportunity to understand expectations, be thoroughly trained, and engage in regular checkpoints. Continuously building and strengthening the employee-manager relationship should continue through the staff member’s entire tenure. Rather than finding out too late that someone wishes to move on, this session will evaluate pathways to successful and healthy employee relationships that are based on continuous feedback and follow-through on employee satisfaction topics. Learn how this model embraces the concept of “stay” interviews over “exit” interviews.

11:50 AM – 12:20 PM
Track 1
Get Screened: No Excuses!🔻

Patrick Dineen, MD, MBA
Program Manager
Cancer Prevention and Screening
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement
Stony Brook Cancer Center

This cancer program implemented an ADA-accessible mobile mammography van and increased breast cancer screening rates for its Latina community from 9% at its breast center to 69% via the mobile unit. With transportation to these mobile screening locations still a barrier for some patients, staff identified a funding stream to purchase Uber rides for those in need of critical cancer screening, reducing late arrivals and increasing the number of patients who book and present to their appointments. Learn more about how this multipronged approach is proactively removing barriers to care and improving health equity..

Track 2
How Technology Can Support—Not Replace—the Health Care Workforce🔻

Karline Peal, MBA
Associate Operating Officer
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center

The oncology community is facing staffing shortages across disciplines and specialties, as well as pressure from organizations and individuals for clinicians to practice at the top of their license and nonclinical staff to work at their highest skill set; that’s where technology can help. Learn about technological advancements in robotics, chatbots, artificial intelligence-assisted clinical decision support tools and care pathways. Examine the use of business intelligence-assisted algorithms that improve operations and reduce costs, and learn more about electronic health records with advanced capabilities that seek to improve the patient experience by allowing clinicians to stay in touch with patients more easily; this also improves the clinician experience by reporting on usage and sharing best practices to reduce charting outside of clinic hours. In the end, technology is meant to automate processes and take over repetitive and time-consuming tasks so that health care workers can focus on direct patient care and the care delivery system, the reasons people chose to enter this field. This session will review case studies on technology solutions that support, not replace, the health care workforce, improving both staff and patient satisfaction.

12:25 – 12:55 PM
Track 1
Removing Barriers to Improve Access to Biomarker Testing in the Community Setting🔻

Labcorp-200x80
Sponsored by Lab Corp

Heidi Ko, DO
Breast Medical Oncologist
Medical Director
Lab Corp Oncology

Mohamad K. Khasawneh, MD
Staff Hematologist and Oncologist
Pikeville Medical Leonard Lawson Cancer Center

Biomarker testing is increasingly important for cancer care as it helps tailor specific biomarker-driven therapy for each patient with advanced or metastatic cancers. However, comprehensive biomarker testing is underutilized for many reasons, including lack of access to the tests, potential high out-of-pocket cost, and a labor-intensive process. As more biomarker-driven therapy becomes available through clinical trials and FDA approvals, genomic testing should be accessible to all patients and should become a part of routine cancer care. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends biomarker testing for patients with advanced or metastatic cancers to identify the best treatment options. In this session, we will discuss case studies on how patients can be identified for tailored therapy through biomarker testing and how this testing impacted treatment decisions. We will also discuss practical challenges and considerations on biomarker testing in community programs and practices and strategies to overcome these challenges to make biomarker testing more accessible for all patients with cancer.

1:00 – 2:00 PM
Networking Lunch With Exhibitors

1:30 PM
Exhibitor Teardown and Load-out

2:00 – 3:00 PM
Quality Improvement in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Testing: Highlights from ACCC Member Programs🔻

Andrew Page, MD, FACS
Director of Surgical Oncology and HPB Surgery
Piedmont Healthcare

Corinne Kompelien, RN, OCN
Nurse Navigator Oncology
Sanford USD Medical Center, Sanford Cancer Center

In 2021, 5 ACCC Cancer Program Members were awarded grants from Pfizer, Inc for quality improvement (QI) projects focused on improving the quality of care for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Grantees planned and implemented projects that addressed barriers to biomarker testing and lack of adherence to guideline-based testing recommendations. Hear from grantees about their findings and what challenges they made to successfully orchestrate a QI project and expand testing for eligible patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

3:00 – 4:00 PM
Helping Your Cancer Survivors Increase Their Physical Activity: The Active Living After Cancer Program🔻

Karen Basen-Engquist, PhD, MPH
Director, Center for Energy Balance in Cancer Prevention and Survivorship, Department of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Services
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Scherezade K. Mama, DrPh
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Services
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Stacy Mitchell
Program Manager, Department of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Services
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Active Living After Cancer is a community-based program to increase physical activity and improve physical function and quality of life in cancer survivors and their caregivers. The program is delivered by trained community partners, and the 12-week, group-based program includes cognitive and behavioral skills training, a brief physical activity, and a cancer survivorship topic discussion. Participants complete assessments at baseline and follow-up to assess changes in physical activity, physical function, and physical and mental health-related quality of life. Active Living After Cancer is effective for improving physical activity, physical functioning, and quality of life in cancer survivors and their caregivers. In this session, we will provide an overview of the program and a hands-on workshop describing how it may be adapted for implementation in your community cancer center.

Faculty and agenda subject to change. Last updated September 14, 2023.