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I Am A Social Worker

ACCC understands the important role oncology social workers play on the multidisciplinary care team and in delivery of patient-centered care. Whether you’re assisting patients through treatment challenges, suggesting resources to minimize financial toxicity, or helping them cope with psychosocial distress, we are pleased to offer a curated selection of resources, many contributed by ACCC-member social work professionals.

Featured Social Worker Programs

Patient-Centered Care for Older Adults with Cancer
Addressing the unique needs of older adults with cancer is critical for the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered care. ACCC’s Multidisciplinary Approaches to Caring for Geriatric Patients with Cancer project shares information on how to integrate geriatric screening and assessment into practice, resources and tools, and an on-demand webinar series exploring key issues such as polypharmacy.
Learn more

Health Literacy for the Cancer Care Team
Health literacy is defined as "the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions." Cancer care providers, patients, and other stakeholders each have important roles in health literacy. How can your team benefit from a health literacy gap assessment?
Learn more

Featured Immuno-Oncology Resource

IO Wallet Card for Patients Treated with Immunotherapy for Cancer
Early recognition and treatment of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are paramount for patients treated with immunotherapy for cancer. Equipping IO patients with a medical wallet card that states the individual is treated with immunotherapy for cancer, the warning signs of common irAEs, and 24/7 contact information for the treating oncology team eases the burden for patients and caregivers in an emergent situation. The ACCC Immuno-Oncology Institute has developed a medical IO wallet card for patients on immunotherapy for cancer. A downloadable print-ready PDF enables cancer programs & practices to have copies printed.

Download your copy

From Oncology Issues

An Optimal Care Coordination Model for Medicaid Patients with Lung Cancer: Finalization of the Model and Implications for Clinical Practice in the United States
Randall A. Oyer, MD, et al.

In this article, the authors discuss revisions to the Optimal Care Coordination Model following beta testing to develop the final version, rationale for significant revisions, and nationwide dissemination of the Model.
Implementing a Transportation Hub: A Holistic Approach to a Systemic Problem
Rachel Marquez, BS, MPH

Patients with cancer who face transportation barriers often find themselves at a crossroads: They must either continue to piece together various forms of assistance to try to complete a treatment regimen and protocol or throw in the towel altogether. Instead of reacting to patients’ needs after they fall out of compliance with their specified treatment, we pledged to proactively offer and find transportation assistance that meets all patient needs.
Carrie's TOUCH: Supporting Black Women with Breast Cancer
Maddelynne Parker and Tammie Denyse, M. DIV., MCL

With disparate breast cancer outcomes, lack of messages of hope, and limited available support for Black women, Rev. Tammie and her late sister were inspired to co-found Carrie’s TOUCH in 2006.
Community Oncology Can Close the Gap in Cancer Research
Amanda Patton, MA

One of the ways in which community oncology is helping to close gaps in cancer research is through participation in the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program clinical trials. The Lahey Health Cancer Institute, a part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health System, continues to expand access to clinical trials and, in particular, the NCI National Clinical Trials Network into the community by partnering with affiliated community hospitals.
A Nurse Navigator Led Community-Based Cardio-Oncology Clinic
Rachel Zirkelback, BA, et al.

Dr. Vijay Rao and Dr. Eric Stephen Rubenstein returned from a Global Cardio-Oncology Society meeting g with the realization that they could do much more to protect patients with cancer from potential cardiac toxicity of chemotherapy. The two shared one goal: to prevent the cancer survivor of today from becoming the heart failure patient of tomorrow.
Trending Now in Cancer Care
Alexandria Howson, PhD

Rather than fielding its annual Trending Now in Cancer Care survey while cancer programs were experiencing unprecedented challenges due to the extended public health emergency, ACCC chose to facilitate conversations with its members to capture the lived experiences of the most pertinent issues impacting oncology practice and care delivery.
Reflections on a Career: A Conversation with ASCO's Dr. Richard Schilsky
Barbara A. Gabriel, MA

Oncology Issues sat down with Dr. Schilsky to look back on his career and look forward to future research breakthroughs in this era of COVID-19 and beyond.
Compliance: Behavior Health Assessment and Intervention for Oncology Patients
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.
Views: Developing Effective Cancer Program Leadership
Barbara Schmidtman, PhD, MAOL, CNMT

As the senior director of cancer services at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph, Mich., I led a breakout session at the 37th [Virtual] ACCC National Oncology Conference in September 2020, where I shared tips for effective and positive leadership in oncology. The first step to becoming an effective leader is to understand the type of leader you are—even if you hold an informal leadership position.
Issues: Recent Trends in White Bagging and Brown Bagging
Kristin Ferguson, DNP, RN, OCN

Over the last several months, ACCC members have experienced a rising trend of payer-mandated white and brown bagging. ACCC will continue to monitor and update members about issues related to white and brown bagging.
An Optimal Care Coordination Model for Medicaid Patients with Lung Cancer: Results from Beta Model Testing
Matthew P. Smeltzer, PhD, MSTAT, et al.

In 2016, the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) initiated a three-year multiphase project to develop an Optimal Care Coordination Model (OCCM) for Medicaid patients with lung cancer that would help assess and strengthen care delivery systems by facilitating and expanding access to multidisciplinary coordinated care.
Driving Oncology Forward
Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW

This next year, as we emerge out of COVID-19’s shadow and into a landscape that has been forever altered by the worldwide pandemic, it is important that we reflect on what we witnessed this past year—not only the suffering but the “wins.”
How Oncology Can Help Improve Vaccination Rates
Sibel Blau, MD

Oncologists may not be on the frontline taking care of patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units or emergency departments, but we do have the chance to advocate for vaccination to win the race against this deadly virus.
Advocating Amid a Crisis: The Expanding Role of financial Advocates in the Age of COVID-19
Views: The Trauma of Cancer
By Kelly Grosklags, LICSW, BCD

I have worked with oncology patients in some capacity for 25 years, but hearing “posttraumatic stress disorder” (PTSD) and “cancer” in the same sentence is a relatively new concept for most.
Beyond the Classroom: Students Improve Access to Supportive Care Services
By Bridget LeGrazie, APN; Brie Bernhardt, MSW, LSW; and Lisa Rosenberry, MS, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C

In 2016 Virtua Cancer Program saw approximately 2,400 analytic cases across three ncampuses. Our two full-time (FTE) social workers were challenged to meet this high patient demand, and it soon became clear that improvements were needed
Compliance: Billing for Social Workers
By Cindy Parman, CPC, CPC-H, RCC

Social workers in cancer centers typically provide psychosocial services to patients, families, and caregivers facing the impact of a cancer diagnosis.
Growing a Patient Transportation Program
Sherry Laniado, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C

Transportation is not only a practical problem, but also an emotional impediment that can cause a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety to an already overwhelmed patient.
The NET Program
Linda Bily, MA

Stony Brook Cancer Center staff and patients appreciate the bus service and what it entails: reduced travel time for patients, less fatigue for patients, a knowledgeable driver, and coordination with oncology services.
Distress Screening for Oncology Patients
Buxton D, et al.

Distress Screening for Oncology Patients
Bridging the Psychosocial and Financial: A Model for Decreasing Patient Distress, While Ensuring Your Program’s Financial Viability.

Bridging the Psychosocial and Financial
From Distress Screenings to Solutions
Lori McMullen, RN, MSN, OCN

At the Edward and Marie Matthews Center for Cancer Care, Plainsboro, N.J., the process for developing and implementing psychosocial distress screening began in January 2013.
Normalizing Feelings of Grief & Loss in Oncology Nurses
Jennifer Collins, MDIV, MS, BCC, and Sandra Tan, MSW, LCSW, ACHP-SW

In 2010, the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Johnston-Willis Hospital started to explore how to best serve the emotional and spiritual needs of its oncology nursing staff.
Spiritual Care of Cancer Patients
Rev. Lori A. McKinley, MDIV, BCC

In 2015, Mercy Health Anderson Hospital focused on the spiritual and emotional care of our cancer patients by implementing a pilot study to create spiritual care plans for patients identified as having moderate to high spiritual and/or emotional distress as determined by psychosocial distress screening.
Building a Navigation and Psychosocial Support Program from the Ground Up
Lori McNulty, RN, and Faye Flemming, RN, BSN, OCN

At ACCC member Southside Regional Medical Center, an oncology nurse navigator heads up navigation and psychosocial services, including partnering with a local community agency to help meet high referral and patient demand.

ACCCBuzz Blog Posts

FROM THE ACCCBUZZ BLOG

Medical Nutrition Therapy Act Would Benefit Medicare Recipients
August 24, 2021
If passed, the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act could expand Medicare Part B to cover medical nutrition therapy services for patients with cancer, who need to maintain their strength and keep a health body weight during treatment. ACCCBuzz shares more about this legislation and why its benefits are essential for oncology.
How Quality Improvement Can Reduce Inequities in Care
By Emily Mackler, PharmD, BCOP
August 17, 2021
In a recent summit addressing the role of advanced practitioners (APs) in eliminating health disparities, participants felt strongly that APs have an important part to play in ensuring patient access to quality cancer care.
Early Palliative Care Program Proactively Meets Patient Needs
July 22, 2021
Palliative care services are an important element of comprehensive cancer care. However, patients are not usually introduced to palliative care providers until their services are needed. Read how Cancer Care Associates of York—a community-based private practice in York, Penn.—is changing this by identifying high-risk patients suitable for palliative interventions up front and allowing patients to access palliative care services as early as possible.
Integrating Community Paramedics into the Cancer Care Team
July 08, 2021
Through a partnership with Albuquerque Ambulance Service, a local community paramedic group that is a division of Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Presbyterian enables qualifying patients with cancer access to certain clinical interventions and wellness checks in their homes from a specialized paramedicine oncology team. The goal of the program is to reduce patient utilization of the ED and reduce inpatient admissions by addressing some patients’ treatment-related symptoms at home.
Managing COVID+ Oncology Patients at Home During Treatment
July 07, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic posed many new complications for cancer programs and practices across the United States. To keep COVID-19-positive patients with cancer out of the hospital where they could potentially infect others, Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, Va., implemented remote patient monitoring technology to continually track patients’ vitals while they are at home and in between their outpatient treatments.
Addressing ED Incidental Imaging Findings Through Navigation
July 06, 2021
When a patient presents for care in an emergency department (ED), unexpected issues unrelated to their chief complaint may be flagged. To help patients better navigate our complex healthcare system after receiving news of an incidental finding during an ED visit, the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Adult ED and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center partnered to follow-up with these patients after their discharge to help them initiate the appropriate follow-up care.
Cancer Care’s Road to Recovery from the Global Pandemic
July 01, 2021
An interview with Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, FASCO, Executive Vice President, Public Policy and Strategic Initiatives, at Texas Oncology. Learn about what you can expect from Dr. Patt's keynote at the 38th ACCC National Oncology Conference.
Mobile App Eases Patient Cost-of-Care Conversations
June 29, 2021
Financial toxicity in oncology is a long-standing issue for patients with cancer. As increasing costs related to cancer care put financial strain on patients, so too do the indirect costs of a cancer diagnosis and treatment—travel, childcare, and other daily living needs. Learn how 2021 ACCC Innovator Award winner Dr. Lauren Hamel at Wayne State University School of Medicine; Karmanos Cancer Institute has set out to address current trends in treatment-related cost discussions between patients and their care team members through a mobile app to make these conversations a vital part of patients’ treatment plans.
Pride Month & Equality in Cancer Care
June 28, 2021
“I had difficulty trusting providers enough to seek the care that I needed. When my partner saw something unusual on my back and I had to try a new dermatologist, I had to be dragged kicking and screaming to his office,” says Scout, PhD, MA, executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network. Learn more about the needs of LGBTQ patients and how you can help create a safe, inclusive space.
Tips for Helping Relieve Patients of Financial Burden
June 25, 2021
Knowing what co-pay assistance each patient needs and where to find it—often in short order—is key to successfully securing funding and ultimately enabling access to necessary treatment. These four key steps can help financial advocates obtain patients co-pay, premium, or travel assistance from independent patient foundations.

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