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Health Equity

In partnership with our member cancer programs and practices, the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) shares a commitment to advancing delivery and access to high-quality cancer care. Across healthcare—and cancer care—we recognize the critical need to lessen and eliminate health disparities by advancing health equity.

Health equity is achieved when all individuals have the opportunity to reach their full health potential without being held back by their social position or other socially-determined circumstances. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines health equity simply and clearly: it is when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

ACCC recognizes the value patients place on receiving treatment in their home communities. By supporting our members and the entire oncology specialty, we can prioritize equity, diversity, and inclusion in quality cancer care delivery, as well as within the oncology workforce.

ACCC continues to develop resources and tools to better understand and support equity initiatives in cancer prevention and detection, diagnosis and treatment, access to clinical trials, survivorship and end-of-life care. Please continue to check this webpage for new updates on this important work.

3,2,1 Go! is a community-based educational initiative that seeks to improve equity in cancer care by identifying and addressing disparities across communities in the states of Hawaii, Texas, and Arizona.

In response to the need for cancer screening and care in Appalachia, ACCC—together with several of its state chapters—launched the ACCA to identify effective evidence-based practices that can be replicated throughout the region.

The Eliminating Precision Medicine Disparities Project works to better understand the barriers and challenges faced by lung cancer patients in underserved communities who seek equal access to precision medicine.

ACCC has partnered with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and LUNGevity on an educational initiative to identify and address existing disparities in access to biomarker testing among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Increasing the role of oncology advanced practitioners and allowing them to practice at the top of their licensure is one way we can move toward more equitable cancer care, especially in rural and underserved areas.

This project will join other ACCC initiatives that are addressing inequities in cancer care, including increasing the representation of underserved populations in cancer clinical trials and eliminating disparities in access to precision medicine.

To best meet the individual needs of the diverse patient populations they serve, multidisciplinary cancer care teams must appreciate their patients’ distinct characteristics and personalize their care if they want to achieve optimal health outcomes.

The goal of this work is to partner with multidisciplinary cancer care teams, social workers, patient advocates, health equity experts, and other stakeholders to develop a screening tool for SDOH to be used in treating patients with cancer.

Health Equity Resources

Publications

Overcoming Prostate Cancer Disparities in Care provide practical strategies for providing equitable care that can help improve early detection and care for vulnerable patients.

Defining The Role of Oncology Advanced Practitioners in Equitable Cancer Care Delivery identifies feasible and impactful opportunities for oncology APs to play a greater role in equitable cancer care delivery.

Health Literacy: From Assessment to Action features three case studies from cancer programs who are advancing their delivery of patient-centered care by integrating key attributes of a health literate healthcare program.

On-Demand Webinars

Achieving Health Equity in the Psychosocial Treatment of Cancer Pain

Health equity and social justice are critical drivers of quality cancer care, and practice-based solutions are needed to reduce barriers and improve health outcomes. There is a crucial need for psychosocial and supportive care services to address the differences in social and economic resources and in timely access to high-quality health care.
ACORI Call to Action Summit: Activating Equity in Community Oncology Research

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has established the ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute (ACORI) to build on its existing mission to close the gap in cancer research through optimal oncology partnerships. As part of this mission, ACCC hosted the ACORI Call to Action Summit, a two-day virtual event that explored practical solutions to strengthen and diversify oncology clinical trials in communities across the country.
(Sep 13-14, 2021)
Addressing Disparities and Access to Clinical Trials Among Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Learn how to identify key disparities in clinical trial access for patients with multiple myeloma and explore strategies that can help improve access for underserved communities. (October 21, 2020)

More Health Equity Webinars

From the ACCCBuzz Blog

Breaking Barriers With Digital Health Technologies: Advancing CRS Risk Prediction
Rachel Radwan
April 29, 2025
In support of the need for more advanced Digital Health Technologies, ACCC partnered with DiMe to create comprehensive resources that support the development of trustworthy CRS de-risking products.
National Minority Health Month: Addressing Racial Disparities in Oncology
Molly Kisiel, MSN, FNP-BC
April 03, 2025
Despite advances in cancer treatment and early detection, significant disparities in cancer care persist across racial and ethnic lines in the United States. At ACCC, we recognize that achieving health equity in oncology requires intentional, sustained, and systemic efforts.
NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit: Navigating Communication, Health Literacy, and Misinformation
January 14, 2025
Review the insights shared at the 2024 NCCN Patient Advocacy Summit about efforts to combat misinformation and advance health literacy in the evolving landscape of oncology.
A Global Perspective: Caring for Patients in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Rachel Radwan
January 07, 2025
In honor of the National Oncology Conference's inaugural international panel, ACCC spoke with Dr. Enrique Soto Pérez de Celis for his insight on caring for a diverse array of patients in Mexico and the United States.
Advancing DEI in the Cancer Workforce: Best Practices from Experts and Strategies for Navigating Policy
Rachel Radwan
October 07, 2024
In recognition of the importance of prioritizing DEI in the cancer workforce, the NCCN held a policy summit to allow patients, providers, payers, and patient advocacy organizations to discuss policy and best practice strategies to support these ideals.

Digital Tools

The ACORI Clinical Research Terms Glossary will help establish a standardized understanding across the cancer care team, can improve patient education, and encourage shared decision-making conversations.

Health Literacy Gap Assessment can help cancer programs identify educational needs and pinpoint areas where targeted education could improve patient care.

Health Literacy Post-Assessment Resources provide tools from the six assessment domains to support your improvement plan(s).

The Ask Me 3® video teaches cancer team members how to better anticipate and respond to patients’ concerns by using a clear, empathetic, and effective approach to communication throughout the care continuum.

Prostate Disparities Resource Library incorporates publications, tools, and other assets to help cancer programs reduce disparities and improve early detection and patient care.

Cancer Buzz Podcasts

5 Ways to Improve Oncology Clinical Trials – [Mini Podcast] Ep 191 May 21, 2025

On October 29-30, 2024, the ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute (ACORI) hosted the Community Oncology Inclusive Clinical Trial Design Summit in Arlington, VA. The event brought together stakeholders including academic and community cancer center practitioners and researchers, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and industry partners to discuss strategies to increase patient access to clinical trials in the community setting. Five priority areas were identified that characterize actionable strategies to promote fair and accessible clinical trial design that is representative of all patients with cancer: strengthening the clinical trial workforce, optimizing trial design, engaging communities outside of clinical trial interactions, decentralizing clinical trials, and leveraging artificial intelligence/digital health tools for increased access and efficiency.
Housing at Risk Program (H@RP) – [Mini Podcast] Ep 189 May 6, 2025

One of the most significant social determinants of health is housing, which can lead to prolonged hospital stays and an endless cycle of episodic care. The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) is dedicated to highlighting programs that address this disparity to improve medical outcomes and restore stability to patients’ lives. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Deirdre Sekulic, associate director of social work at Montefiore Health System to discuss ways that HARP prioritizes patient outcomes to improve continuity of care.
Navigating Disparities and Challenges in HCC Care – [Podcast] Ep 186 Apr 17, 2025

Raising Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) disproportionately impacts underserved and minority populations, compounded by systemic barriers in care. These populations face increased risk factors yet often experience delayed diagnoses and limited access to specialists, leading to later-stage detection. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Karen S. Waldrop, BSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG, a GI oncology nurse navigator at UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer, and Henry Rendon, a patient diagnosed with HCC in June 2023. Together, they share insights on the vital role of multidisciplinary teams and how nurse navigators can mitigate access barriers by improving patient outreach, facilitating access to care, and guiding patients through the complexities of the health care system.

More Health Equity Podcasts

From Oncology Issues

Healthcare With Community in Its DNA
By Rania Emara

Montefiore Health System’s Community Health Worker Institute has mobilized a workforce of local community experts with the potential to change the way health care systems nationwide approach social drivers of health and health equity.
ACCC 50th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit

Highlights from the ACCC 50th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit #AMCCBS.
Reimagining Community Engagement and Equity in Cancer
By Nadine J. Barrett, PHD, MA, MS, FACCC

In her first Oncology Issues column, ACCC president Nadine J. Barrett, PHD, MA, MS, FACCC, shares her 2024-2025 ACCC President’s Theme.