Comprehensive Cancer Care Services

Comprehensive cancer care encompasses a broad range of services that are commonly referred to as supportive oncology care services. These services include those defined by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) Oncology Care Model (OCM). Among these are nutrition counseling, patient navigation, information on cost of care,  social work, survivorship care planning (see Table 1, below for more complete list of services).

These services are not just "nice to have" additions. Access to supportive oncology care services is essential to quality patient-centered care. Although these services are recommended in guidelines and required by accreditation bodies, such as the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, significant barriers prevent consistent delivery of and access to supportive oncology services. Two major obstacles are insufficient fee-for-serve reimbursement and the lack of relevant specialists and staff to deliver these services. Challenges are especially pronounced in the community settings of care where organizations have limited access to philanthropy and other funding to supplement supportive oncology budgets.

Realizing the compelling need to better understand the current capacity and barriers to delivery of essential comprehensive cancer care services in community-based oncology programs, the Board of Trustees of the Association of Community Cancer Centers is calling for and supporting a survey of invited or representative membership. Survey findings will be used to provide baseline information to guide policy, advocacy, educational initiatives, and inform value-based payment reform discussions.

Read this message from ACCC President 2019-2020 Ali McBride, PharmD, MS, BCOP: A Prescription for Sustainable Cancer Care Delivery.