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Rockville, Md. — Thomas A. Gallo, MS, MDA, was named 2018-2019 President of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) during its 44th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit on March 16, 2018, in Washington, D.C. He is executive director of the Virginia Cancer Institute in Richmond, Virginia, where he manages all aspects of a 24-provider medical oncology practice with 7 medical offices, ambulatory infusion centers, laboratories, and more than 200 employees.
“I’m honored and humbled to serve as President of the Association of Cancer Care Centers, the leading education and advocacy organization for the multidisciplinary cancer care team,” said Mr. Gallo.
ACCC has built a strong legacy of presidential themes that address evolving issues in oncology, such as the Oncology Medical Home, quality in oncology care, patient empowerment and provider engagement, and envisioning next generation multidisciplinary cancer care. Mr. Gallo hopes to build on his predecessors’ contributions with his president’s theme of “Reflect, Renew, Reignite: Building a Resilient Cancer Care Team in Your Community.”
“The daily stress of caring for cancer patients can be draining physically, intellectually, and emotionally for every member of the cancer care team—from the receptionists at the front desk to the physicians in whose hands patients place total trust,” said Mr. Gallo. “Unfortunately, burnout is a top-of-mind issue for many of us as oncology has become more complex with new and evolving treatment options, growing financial toxicity, and an increasingly burdensome healthcare system, just to name a few of the stressors.”
Through his president’s theme, Mr. Gallo hopes to work with the ACCC membership to move beyond shared complaints to shared solutions.
“We need to find answers to how we keep our healthcare teams engaged, and to how we structure our teams and workplace so that all staff can be effective and productive. I know that many ACCC members are already focused on innovations in these areas. Over the coming months I look forward to learning from them and sharing their ideas and insights. Together we can find solutions.”
An active and long-time member of the Association of Cancer Care Centers, Mr. Gallo was ACCC President-Elect (2017-2018). He currently serves on the ACCC Governmental Affairs Committee and has previously served on the ACCC Board of Trustees (2004-2005).
In addition to his involvement with ACCC, Mr. Gallo is a member of the Board of Directors of MD Value Care, an ACO of independent physician practices; past president of the Executive Committee of the MGMA Administrators in Oncology-Hematology Assembly (AOHA); a current member and former president of the Board of Directors of the Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO); and a former board member of the Community Oncology Alliance.
He received a BA in Economics from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and an MS in Finance and a Master of Decision Analytics (MDA) degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was a Dean’s Scholar.