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The latest issue of Oncology Issues features key insights from the inaugural ACCC Leadership Summit, strategies to adjust to rising patient volumes and workforce strain, advanced practice leadership models, and more.
In the first issue published since the inaugural Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) Leadership Summit, this Oncology Issues features key insights from the event and dives deeper into the core themes that emerged. From responsible AI implementation to effective leadership strategies, many of the topics explored at the Summit in April are highlighted in real-world contexts by this issue’s set of feature articles. Read on for a preview of everything that can be found in the latest Oncology Issues.
As oncology advances at an unprecedented pace, a quiet but increasingly dangerous threat is emerging behind the scenes: administrative toxicity. Defined as the cumulative burden of nonclinical processes, including documentation and authorization, these barriers negatively impact both care teams and patients. Like clinical and financial toxicities, “administrative toxicity has dose-dependent consequences, with the heaviest burden borne by rural and under-resourced cancer programs where staffing, technology, and administrative capacity are most limited,” the authors wrote.
Read the full article to explore how prior authorizations, documentation burdens, and payer-driven delays are compromising patient outcomes, fueling clinical burnout, and straining cancer programs across the care continuum.
Cancer programs across the country are facing mounting pressure from rising patient volumes and workforce strain, grappling with the question of how best to care for caregivers. PeaceHealth, a not-for-profit health system serving communities in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, has built a culture of wellness programs that promote personal and professional development, leadership skills, and peer support.
The 2025-2026 ACCC President’s Theme “Designing Oncology Care to Meet the Needs of a Growing Patient Population” aims to highlight programs like PeaceHealth that demonstrate successful strategies for workforce empowerment and enablement. Read more about the initiatives and partnerships that are improving clinician well-being in this health system.
Oncologists and clinic staff at community programs play a critical role in connecting patients to research opportunities. To enhance its staff’s basic knowledge of clinical trials, develop communication skills, and establish facility-based clinical research goals, the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network created a novel Clinical Trial Referral Ambassador program.
Through this program, 20 community sites were invited to enroll two ambassadors each to learn about the clinical trial process and develop facility-specific strategies to increase access to trials for their patients. Read the full article to learn how the Clinical Trial Referral Ambassador program was created in 2022, its development over the past four years, and future directions for growth.
As advanced practice providers (APPs) have become increasingly embedded within the health care system, their role as part of the multidisciplinary care team has become essential in expanding access to care. These providers also have valuable insights to contribute to institutional decision-making.
The triad leadership model—including representation from physician, nursing, and operational leaders—is becoming more common in cancer programs across the US. This article expands that structure and explores a quad leadership model that incorporates advanced practice leadership. Authors from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, write about how including APP institutional representation can strengthen retention and support staff resilience.
Transgender and nonbinary individuals face persistent disparities in both access to cancer care and outcomes. In this article, authors argue that these disparities are rooted in rigid binary gender frameworks and gaps in mental health care within oncology. Patient-centered integration of mental health, gender affirming care, and cancer services is key to improving outcomes for transgender and nonbinary individuals—and has benefits that extend beyond this patient population.
The authors propose strategies across individual, interpersonal, and structural levels, in the pursuit of improving survival rates, treatment adherence, and quality of life. “Applying a patient-centered approach to integrating mental health and cancer services for transgender and nonbinary populations is not merely a matter of inclusivity—it is a promising approach that directly impacts survival rates, treatment adherence, and quality of life for all,” they wrote.
At the inaugural 2026 ACCC Leadership Summit, senior leaders from across oncology converged around a shared reality: The forces shaping cancer care are simultaneously reshaping how care is delivered, financed, and experienced. ACCC Executive Director Meagan O’Neill synthesizes the most salient insights from the Summit in an executive summary and reflects on how cancer program leaders can prepare for what’s to come.
Key takeaways from each panel discussion at the Summit were distilled into infographics, illustrating ideas that can be applied today to cancer programs across the country. Learn more about topics including AI in Oncology, Health Policy, Value-Based Care in Oncology, and Strategic Partnerships.
Decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) are reshaping oncology research by expanding patient access, reducing travel burdens, and engaging diverse populations. Recognizing the potential of DCTs to expand trial access to patients across its health system, HonorHealth Research Institute launched a pilot program as the first step to establishing a large-scale research program that could meet patients in their own communities.
In this model, an oncology clinical investigator regularly travels to one of HonorHealth’s cancer care locations as a resource for both patients and oncologists. This individual offers consults on difficult cases, educates patients about the clinical trial process, and alerts the multidisciplinary team about patients who might be a good fit for active trials at the Research Institute. Read the full article to learn how this pilot is setting HonorHealth up for success in future DCT initiatives.
A new survey from ACCC conducted in partnership with the Digital Medicine Society and Cancer Support Community reveals that although confidence in evaluating AI tools remains low among clinicians, AI adoption is widespread and largely ungoverned. Providers know that these tools are valuable and accessible, leading to action before institutional planning. This article presents key findings from the survey and offers a framework for thoughtful, patient-centered AI integration in oncology programs.
In addition to the feature articles, this issue of Oncology Issues offers:
Dive into the full issue for more multidisciplinary insights that can be put into action across diverse cancer care settings.
At the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Louisiana Oncology Society received the ASCO Jeffrey C Ward Affiliate Advocacy Award for advancing critical advocacy priorities that have translated into meaningful legislative victories. The Iowa Oncology Society and Washington State Medical Oncology Society were also recognized for their advocacy efforts in 2025 at the meeting, receiving second place awards.
