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President's Theme 2022-2023

David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA, was named president of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) on Friday, March 4, at the 48th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS), where oncology professionals gathered to discuss the convergence of business, policy, and technology in cancer care.

Dr. Penberthy announced his 2022-23 President’s Theme, “Leveraging Technology to Transform Cancer Care Delivery and the Patient Experience,” and highlighted his objectives to:

Equitably leverage data and digital health tools to identify ways to reduce health disparities
Identify strategies to use technology to help mitigate workforce shortages and improve efficiency of care
Advocate for equitable access to technology innovations and adequate reimbursement for their application in cancer care delivery
Convene technology-driven change makers to share solutions and envision the future state of oncology driven by the patient experience

“The science of oncology is exploding and keeping up with all the information is a daunting task,” said Dr. Penberthy. “We’ll identify opportunities to use AI-driven practice support tools and patient wearable devices so we can focus on critical issues, such as shared medical decision-making, workforce shortages, improving care to underserved and marginalized patients, increasing clinical trial participation, and delivering person-centered care.”

The resources and tools that will be developed in conjunction with Dr. Penberthy’s President’s Theme will be posted to this webpage as they become available.

Theme Announcement

Optimization of Cancer Care Settings

Hear an overview of alternative care settings: oncology-specialized urgent care, hospital at home, community paramedicine, and remote patient monitoring.
View More Sessions

From Oncology Issues

Technology and the Ideal Future State of Oncology
David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA

Dr. Penberthy's final Tech Talk as ACCC President was attended by more than 40 members, as speakers discussed the impact of big data and artificial intelligence.
Remote Patient Monitoring and Health Equity
By David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA

Amid the implementation of technological solutions such as remote patient monitoring in cancer care, it is important that all patients with cancer—regardless of race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status—benefit equitably.
AI's Role in Advancing Cancer Prevention Detection Diagnosis Treatment and Precision Medicine
Amanda Patton, MA

An interview with Picture Health’s Anant Madabhushi, PhD, and Trishan Arul on the expanding role of AI and healthcare professionals in the fields of biomedical engineering and computer science.
ePROs: Lighting the Way to Improved Outcomes Efficiency and Patient Experience
Amanda Patton, MA

Highlands Oncology Group took key steps toward implementing an ePRO platform aimed at reducing emergency department utilization and unplanned hospitalization, while improving the patient’s quality of life.
Technology Solutions to Mitigate Workforce Shortages
David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA

By leveraging technology, the effects of workforce shortages can be mitigated.
Delivering Hospital Level Acute Care at Home Learning from Huntsman at Home
By Amanda Patton

This program delivers intensive hospital-level care to eligible patients in their own homes through a care team that includes oncology nurse practitioners, home health registered nurses, and allied healthcare staff.
Home as a Site of Care for Acutely Ill Patients with Cancer
By Amanda Patton

An interview with Kathi Mooney, PhD, RN, FAAN, about the Huntsman at Home model, including the development and implementation of Symptom Care at Home.
The Home as a New Site of Cancer Care
By David R Penberthy, MD, MBA

The COVID-19 pandemic brought renewed attention to the concept of the home being a site of care. Looking to the future, certain strategies can be implemented for cancer programs aiming to offer care to patients in their homes.
Data Analytics + Business Intelligence = Operations Insights
By Amanda Patton

Kim Woofter, the executive Vice President of Strategic Alliances, AC3, discusses the rewards of incorporating data analytics into the business of oncology, as a tool for improving billing and revenue cycle management and optimizing care.
Tech Solutions Ahead!
By David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA

Technology-drive solutions will be essential in the future of cancer care, and providing the information, education and resources health care providers need to implement those solutions is important.
Technology and Cancer Care
By David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA

As technological innovation expands, it is important that cancer care finds ways to incorporate new technology that will make life easier for both the patient and healthcare provider- as well as create increasingly efficient cancer care.
3-D Virtual Reality Takes Patient Education to the Next Level
Douglas E. Holt, MD

In 2019, at the University of Colorado, Douglas Holt, MD, led the effort to implement and study the use of virtual reality within the clinic for patient education in oncology.
A Digital Population Tracking System Helps Improve Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Services
Raymond Liu, MD, et al.

An integrated precision tracking program ensures proper follow-up care and surveillance for survivors of colorectal cancer.
Mining Data to Improve Care Coordination of Patients with Hematologic Malignancies
Rachel Dragovich, PharmD, and Jan Kover, RPh, BCOP

The purpose of this study was to assess patient, disease, and medication-related factors that affect the rate of unplanned readmissions before next chemotherapy cycle or within 30 days since last chemotherapy admission in patients with hematologic malignancies.
Reducing ED Visits and Hospital Admissions After Chemotherapy with Predictive Modeling of Risk Factors
Michelle Smith, DC, and Jay Carlson, DO

Mercy Cancer Care responded to OP-35 was by developing an internal report that predicted the metrics for one of its larger oncology practices.
Leveraging Technology to Reduce Hospital and Emergency Room Admissions and Identify Patient Comorbidities
Larry E. Bilbrey, et al.

It is well documented, even beyond Tennessee Oncology's OCM experience, that patients with cancer generally have some type of hospital-related costs during their disease treatment. Understanding the impact of these real-time alerts and data, Tennessee Oncology formed a Care Transformation Team with the focus of addressing admissions in real time, as well as follow-up care for discharges.
All It Takes Is One
Alti Rahman, MHA, MBA, CSSBB

All it takes is one. One person, one email, one click, to grant cybercriminals access to your confidential files, your applications, and your patients’ protected health information.
Confronting Cyber Threats to Your Practice
Sean Hall and Adam Rebhuhn

Cyberattacks can take place against any entity on any scale, striking both individuals and multinational companies with consequences big and small. As we have seen repeatedly, not even the largest companies with the most sophisticated security resources at their disposal are immune from security breaches.
Developing and Implementing a Radiation Oncology App to Improve the Patient Experience
Wellspan Health, Oncology Service Line

In 2018 the Oncology Service Line recognized the potential to improve the patient experience with the development and implementation of a mobile radiation oncology application (app). This app supports the healthcare organization’s goal to deliver a patient experience that is simpler, builds loyalty, and reduces patient anxiety.
Can You Hear Me Now?
Kimberly Smith, MPHA

After integrating voice recognition software with its EMR, Mount Sinai Health System reduced physician workload, improved patient care, and streamlined clinic workflow. Physicians and staff shared that this process improvement initiative also improved their well-being, freeing clinicians up to spend more time doing what they want to do—caring for patients.
MyCareCompass
Elizabeth Koelker, MHA, FACHE, et al.

A dynamic partnership with a technology company allowed one cancer program to improve patient education through the use of digital communication. Today patients receive emails or texts at crucial and targeted moments during their cancer treatment journey.
Developing an Oncology IT Strategy
Ryan Langdale, MBA, and Alex Glonek

This article reviews the keys to developing a successful oncology-specific IT strategy in a continuously changing IT environment.

News & Media

ASCO Spotlight With David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA: Knowledge Gained at ASCO Can Transform Cancer Care
AJMC, July 22, 2022

Dr David R. Penberthy: Knowledge Gained at ASCO Can Transform Cancer Care
AJMC, June 5, 2022

Former Navy flight surgeon elected president of cancer-fighting organization
WAVY, April, 19, 2022

Meeting the Needs of Cancer Program Staff to Ultimately Improve Patient Outcomes
ACCC, April 8, 2022

ACCC Appoints David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA, as New President
The ASCO Post, Mar 25, 2022

New Association of Community Cancer Centers president looks to technology-driven solutions
Hematology/Oncology, Mar 16, 2022

Dr. David Penberthy on ACCC Presidential Theme, Discussions for Next Year’s Meeting
American Journal of Managed Care, Mar 10, 2022

Association of Community Cancer Centers Names New President: David R. Penberthy, MD, MBA
ACCC, Mar 04, 2022

Tech Talks

On November 10, 2022, ACCC President Dr. David R. Penberthy hosted his third Tech Talk, where he and invited subject matter experts discussed remote patient monitoring in oncology and this technology's impact on health equity.

On February 15, 2023, ACCC President Dr. David R. Penberthy hosted his fourth and final Tech Talk, where he and invited subject matter experts discussed how artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning are impacting oncology.

CANCER Buzz Podcasts

A Conversation with ACCC Board Member Dr. Nadine Barrett — [PODCAST] EP 100 Jan 4, 2023

To celebrate its 100^th episode, CANCER BUZZ talks to ACCC Board Member and Treasurer Dr. Nadine Barrett about her journey with the Association of Community Cancer Centers.
Social Media as a Platform to Deliver Patient Education – [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 23 Nov 18, 2022

Dr. Sanjay Juneja discusses how he uses social media as a way to share information broadly with patients, help keep people up to date on new advances, and address medical misinformation.
Technology That is Transforming Cancer Care – [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 21 Nov 4, 2022

In the second of a three-part series on “changing the culture of oncology,” Dr. Sanjay Juneja shares three technologies he’s excited about and why.
Is It Time to Cancel the Term “A Cure for Cancer” – [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 20 Oct 27, 2022

Dr. Sanjay Juneja explores how—with many cancers now being treated like a chronic disease—it may be time to cancel the term “a cure for cancer.”
Overcoming Health Disparities through Remote Patient Monitoring — [PODCAST] EP 97 Oct 25, 2022
Remote patient monitoring transmits health data from the patient’s home to healthcare providers. This quality improvement project evaluated a platform to remotely monitor Black and Latinx patients.
LIVE from NOC: Leveraging Data to Tackle Workforce Shortages—[MINI PODCAST] Oct 17, 2022
Learn more about how this health system is gleaning new insights into clinical workforce needs to optimize future staffing and scheduling decisions.
Remote Patient Monitoring of Patients on CAR T-Cell Therapy — [PODCAST] EP 95 Oct 4, 2022

While remote monitoring platforms have been used effectively throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the burden on patients and healthcare facilities around the country, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., has been using the technology in a different capacity—with its chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy patients.
[MINI-PODCAST] Ep 81: Two ACCC Presidential Themes Converge at One Annual Meeting Apr 5, 2022

Meeting the needs of cancer program staff to ultimately improve patient outcomes is at the heart of the presidential themes of ACCC’s current and immediate past presidents. CANCER BUZZ spoke to Krista Nelson, who advocated for the professional well-being of cancer program staff and Dr. David Penberthy, who aims to leverage technology to transform cancer care delivery and the patient experience. Hear how both tenures aim to focus on what’s most important in the cancer care community—supporting patients, clinicians, and staff.
[VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 03: The IT Professional as a Multidisciplinary Team Member Jun 24, 2021

In this episode, we talk with an experienced cancer center information technology (IT) professional about how the role of the IT professional in quality, patient-centered cancer care delivery and what lies ahead.