Association of Community Cancer Centers Announces 2020 Innovator Award Recipients

Winners Tackle Challenges in Cardio-Oncology,
Predictive Financial Analytics and Modeling, OncoPharmacy, and Staffing

Rockville, MD— The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) today announced the winning programs for its tenth annual ACCC Innovator Awards, highlighting the year’s leading-edge strategies to challenges faced by oncology programs and practices across the country.

The eight ACCC Innovator Award winners feature programs across the multidisciplinary team and the cancer care continuum, in areas such as cardio-oncology, predictive financial analytics and modeling, oncology pharmacy, and onboarding new staff. Each 2020 ACCC Innovator Award recipient will deliver a presentation detailing their solutions and strategies at ACCC’s 37th [Virtual] National Oncology Conference, held September 14 through 18, 2020.

ACCC 2020 Innovator Award Winners:

Integration of Prehab, Rehab, and Prospective Surveillance into Interdisciplinary Teams
Beaumont Health System, Beaumont Cancer Institute, Royal Oak, Michigan

This program improves the patient experience, reduces hospital length of stay, and facilitates early identification of physical impairments, functional limitations, and/or treatment restrictions. Other key outcomes include reduction of cancer-related fatigue, lymphedema, and falls, and non-opioid pain management.

A Nurse Navigator-Led Community-Based Cardio-Oncology Clinic
Franciscan Health Cancer Center Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana

This program manages the cardio-toxic side effects of more than 1,000 cancer patients. Working in collaboration with medical oncologists and other members of the multidisciplinary team, the cardio-oncology team helps keep oncology patients in treatment and improves patient quality of life.

Leveraging a 3D Lung Nodule Educational Tool to Reduce Patient Distress
Maine Medical Center Cancer Institute, Scarborough, Maine

The use of a 3D Lung Nodule Tool as part of shared decision-making facilitated high quality communication, improves patient knowledge about malignancy risk, reduces emotional distress, and improves quality of life. A geriatric nurse practitioner partnered with an art student to design and implement the 3D model.

Reducing ED Visits and Hospital Admissions after Chemotherapy with Predictive Modeling of Risk Factors
Mercy Cancer Care, St. Louis, Missouri

After conducting a retrospective review to identify clinical variables associated with increased risk of hospital admissions and emergency department visits, Mercy Cancer Care developed and implemented a predictive algorithm that stratifies patients according to their 30-day risks. A daily dashboard report identifies all patients as high, intermediate, or low risk.

Onboarding Experienced Non-Oncology Nurses to Address Staffing Shortages: Development of a Transitional Oncology Training Academy
Miami Cancer Institute, Miami, Florida

This 12-week academy gives nurses the knowledge and skills to transition to radiology, blood and marrow transplant, outpatient infusion oncology, and Phase I/II research on a Precision Medicine Unit. The academy prepares participants for the ONS/ONCC Chemotherapy Immunotherapy Certificate.

Improve Oral Oncolytic Workflow and Reduce Treatment Delays with a Pharmacist Collaborative Practice Agreement
St. Luke's Cancer Institute, Boise, Idaho

This pharmacy resident pilot project supported the creation and implementation of an oral oncolytic collaborative practice agreement (CPA) that expanded pharmacist scope of practice, decreased turnaround time for processing prescriptions, improved provider satisfaction, and decreased patient prescription costs.

Utilizing Technology to Identify Patient Co-Morbidities and Reduce Hospital and ED Admissions
Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, Tennessee

An analysis of Oncology Care Model data identified three comorbid illnesses that led to significantly higher rates of unplanned emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations—COPD, congestive heart failure, and diabetes mellitus. Tennessee Oncology used this data to develop targeted management algorithms that proactively address these conditions.

Shifting Chemo Administration from Inpatient to Outpatient Setting Improves Care and Reduces Costs
University of Arizona Cancer Center, Banner University Medical Center Tucson
, Tucson, Arizona

A multidisciplinary team identified chemotherapy regimens administered in the inpatient setting that could be safely administered in the outpatient setting, and implemented a transition plan that reduced inpatient medical resources and chemotherapy costs, decreased inpatient bed stay, lower infection rates, improved quality of life, and decreased overall cost of care—conservatively estimated at almost $6 million.

Details including blog posts and videos available here.

“The ACCC Innovator Awards were founded a decade ago to discover and share the best and most creative approaches to cancer care challenges—so we all can learn and apply them to improve both the care we provide our patients and the operations of our programs and practices,” said Dr. Randall A. Oyer, MD, Medical Director, Oncology Program, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health and ACCC President. “This year’s recipients are no exception and can have a profound effect on cancer care delivery.”

Winners were selected based on the potential of their program to have a real-world impact on the delivery of cost-effective, patient-centered care with replicable solutions in the areas of care coordination and quality improvement, technology, patient engagement, innovative training and staffing models, the provision of supportive care services, and collaborative practice agreements.

“During these unprecedented times, cancer care professionals are looking for new and more accessible ways to stay engaged and learn from the challenges and successes of their peers. This year’s ACCC National Oncology Conference provides an opportunity to collaborate and discover pioneering ideas that address the challenges of providing cancer care in our new reality,” added Oyer.

In addition to the presentation of the 2020 ACCC Innovator Awards, the 37th [Virtual] National Oncology Conference includes facilitated and interactive roundtable discussions on “hot topic” issues like cultural humility and sensitivity, ramping up outreach and prevention programs in a COID-19 world, mentoring those new to oncology, and more, as well as live keynote addresses on effective leadership during challenging times and addressing the disparity of women in oncology after which attendees will be able to ask questions in real time. Registrants will also have an opportunity to interact in real-time and ask follow-up questions with the 2020 ACCC Innovator Award winners on Thursday, September 17.

Cancer professionals can find more information on the agenda and register to attend on the ACCC website.