ACCCBUZZ BLOG

Financial toxicity in oncology is a long-standing issue for patients with cancer. As increasing costs related to cancer care put financial strain on patients, so too do the indirect costs of a cancer diagnosis and treatment—travel, childcare, and other daily living needs. Learn how 2021 ACCC Innovator Award winner Dr. Lauren Hamel at Wayne State University School of Medicine; Karmanos Cancer Institute has set out to address current trends in treatment-related cost discussions between patients and their care team members through a mobile app to make these conversations a vital part of patients’ treatment plans.

Knowing what co-pay assistance each patient needs and where to find it—often in short order—is key to successfully securing funding and ultimately enabling access to necessary treatment. These four key steps can help financial advocates obtain patients co-pay, premium, or travel assistance from independent patient foundations.

Effective patient education helps patients better understand their diagnoses and participate in shared decision-making with their providers. Douglas Holt, MD, chief resident of radiation oncology at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, UCHealth-Oncology Services, is taking patient education to the next level: virtual reality.

The delivery of the right treatment to the right patient at the right time is a hallmark of quality care. Step therapy applied to oncology can needlessly and dangerously derail a patient's care.

This is the first post in the blog series, “Notes on Nursing,” in which Robin Atkins shares her thoughts about her career as an oncology nurse. Here, she talks about not only why she became an oncology nurse, but also why she chooses to STAY a nurse.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month! Learn how the Cancer Support Community's patient guides help patient health literacy and promote shared decision-making.

Each May, Bladder Cancer Awareness Month helps highlight the facts about bladder cancer, promote awareness about the disease, and call for more investment in research, treatment, and care. This year’s theme emphasizes the importance promoting conversations about bladder cancer and its symptoms, treatments, and management.

The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act would give Medicare beneficiaries living in medically underserved communities access to patient care services delivered by their state-licensed pharmacists. ACCC spoke with APhA's Dr. Scott Knoer to learn more about this legislation and how it can help patients.

Many patients with cancer now enjoy the invaluable benefits and flexibilities that telehealth makes possible. Patients have more convenient access to appointments, increased support from family caregivers who can attend virtual visits, and more time to focus on their work and families. Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA explains how the Telehealth Modernization Act can make this expanded healthcare access available beyond the pandemic.

The disparities in prostate cancer are striking. In the United States, Black men continue to experience a far greater incidence of new prostate cancers and are 2.2 to 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease than any other racial/ethnic group. Taking action to close these gaps is an imperative for moving toward equitable cancer care.

ACCC released its compact geriatric oncology guide for community cancer centers to help cancer care teams improve treatment decision-making, guide supportive care interventions, and improve patient and caregiver satisfaction. This guide will provide you with the information you need to efficiently conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments in your cancer program or practice.

LGBTQI+ communities have a long history of experiencing barriers to healthcare, have increased risk factors for cancer, and are less satisfied with their cancer care. One survey demonstrates that these patients want their providers to show them they are welcome and make that welcome real.

Poor access to care among AYA patients is not only evident in low clinical trial enrollment. The struggle to access much-needed care continues when treatment concludes. Most AYA cancer survivors must learn to navigate follow-up medical care on their own.

Advances in cancer treatment often mean that patients have multiple therapeutic options to choose from. As a result, engagement in decision-making is more important than ever.

Led by the Prevent Cancer Foundation, ACCC has joined more than 300 organizations in signing a letter urging the passage of the MCED Screening Coverage Act, which will help cancer care providers be able to use the latest testing technologies to improve quality of life and better patient outcomes.

ACCC President Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, shares with us why she believes the theme of this year’s Social Work Month is important and how it ties into her own theme as ACCC’s new president.

Insurer mandates requiring patients to have their therapies dispensed via “brown bagging” or “white bagging” are becoming increasingly common. Oncologists treating patients whose insurers require these methods of pharmaceutical procurement have identified problematic issues with them, including concerns about patient safety, proper care coordination, potential treatment delays, and drug waste.

Montana is one of the most rural states in the U.S., with nearly half of its population living in rural regions. Accordingly, accessing healthcare services can be difficult for Montana’s citizens, and gaining access to clinical trials is particularly challenging.

One member of your cancer care team who plays an essential role yet often goes unrecognized is a patient’s caregiver. With the added work caregivers have had in the past year to keep their loved ones safe during the pandemic, the work they do is even more important today. To support cancer care teams looking to address the critical role caregivers play in patient support, ACCC recently launched a free, one-hour on-demand webinar.

AMCCBS Virtual sessions on Thursday, March 4, will focus on practical strategies for better managing your organization. There is no specific roadmap to success for your cancer program or practice, but AMCCBS Virtual can help by hosting sessions that will share new perspectives and ideas for expanding your service line portfolio to better meet the needs of your patients.

On Wednesday, March 3, AMCCBS Virtual will focus on cancer service line efficiency and revenue optimization. Some of the biggest impacts on cancer programs and practices stemming from the pandemic have been regarding their clinical and financial performance. Attendees will gain new perspectives and learn new strategies to help them navigate and potentially rebuild their service lines to meet the demands and challenges brought on by COVID-19.

ACCCBuzz sat down with ASCO's Dr. Richard L. Schilsky to look back on his career and look forward to the future breakthroughs in this era and beyond.

Carla Strom, MLA, speaks with ACCCBuzz about her role as an advocate, how this role has evolved, and why listening to the community's voice early and often in clinical trial development and cancer research is vital.