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[MINI-PODCAST] Ep 74: The Business Case for Hiring Oncology Social Workers

January 18, 2022

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Oncology social workers are integral members of the multidisciplinary cancer care team, but their services are largely unreimbursed by payers, so cancer programs and practices must fund these positions from their bottom line. This, in turn, makes it challenging to hire additional oncology social work staff.

Hear about two new resources coming from ACCC to help demonstrate the value that oncology social workers play. In "Making the Business Case for Hiring an Oncology Social Worker," evidence-based data will show how oncology social workers help improve the quality of care and the patient experience, provide much needed support to other members of the multidisciplinary cancer team, and reduce costs of care. A new benchmarking survey will help uncover data to determine where psycho-oncology care stands for patients with cancer across the country and serve as a jumping-off point for future research.


KRISTA NELSON
Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW
ACCC 2021-2022 President
Program Manager of Quality & Research, Cancer Support Services & Compassion
Providence Cancer Institute
Portland, OR

“We know that attending to patients' psychosocial needs makes a difference in patients care—and the cost of care. With the move to value-based care, the time is right for social work to be at the table.”


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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s)/faculty member(s) and do not reflect the official policy or position of their employer(s) or the Association of Cancer Care Centers.