As this column is being written, the United States continues to grapple with containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In an exceptional climate of persistent uncertainty, the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) is committed to listening to and elevating the voice of its membership. ACCC is steadfast in its commitment to working collaboratively with the oncology community—providers, patients, caregivers, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary care teams, advocates, and allied stakeholders—to protect and advance access to high-quality cancer care for all.
Given the health care landscape’s present volatility, innovation is essential. ACCC has taken creative action to streamline access to its resources and encourage connection by leveraging technology to offer greater flexibility and an improved user experience. Innovations underway at ACCC include the following.
Expanded E-Learning Options and Meetings Experience
In June the new ACCC eLearning portal launched, providing seamless access to the growing library of ACCC online learning options. On-demand education offerings are accessible on any device and at any time. Courses are available in a variety of formats, so users can listen, watch, read, or interact in their preferred learning mode. Health professionals can claim CME/CPE/CNE credit for all applicable activities. View the offering at accc-cancer.org/elearning.
In addition, ACCC has reimagined its ongoing and upcoming oncology meetings. Knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer experiential learning, and practical strategies to address common challenges are proven approaches to advancing quality, improving processes, fast-tracking solutions to common problems, and energizing team members.
ACCC has re-tooled its meeting formats so that attendees can join in virtual bi-directional learning sessions in real-time and on-demand. For the first time, ACCC is offering its Oncology Reimbursement Meeting at the national level in five live virtual sessions scheduled throughout the remainder of 2020. Topics include the latest changes in oncology coding and billing, strategies to track and improve cancer program fiscal health, steps to advance financial navigation services to help patients with the economic burden of cancer, and more.
37th [Virtual] National Oncology Conference
The ACCC 37th [Virtual] National Oncology Conference (NOC), September 14-18, has been re-designed for optimal flexibility as a hybrid live virtual and on-demand event. Through a variety of formats, sessions are planned to minimize “virtual fatigue” while maximizing options for engaging directly with presenters and peers. Opening the conference, keynoter Greg Hiebert, LeadershipForward, will speak on “Leadership Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth” with live virtual audience Q&A. Burnout, care team resilience, and team well-being are well-publicized concerns in health care that predate the added stressors from the COVID pandemic. Mr Hiebert will explore how to turn difficult experiences into positive growth—both individually and collectively—and describe how leaders (formal and informal) can help their colleagues, teams, and organizations achieve greater resiliency.
Conference learning on Tuesday and Wednesday is self-paced with on-demand presentations from the ACCC 2020 Innovator Award recipients. (For a preview of these tested, real-world strategies to challenges such as nurse staffing, reducing emergency department and hospital admissions, optimal delivery of oral oncolytics, and more visit accc-cancer.org/innovator.) On Thursday, meeting participants can join in virtual real-time Q&A sessions with the program leaders and champions who executed these award-winning programs.
Closing the conference on Friday, Nick Smith-Stanley, MBA, associate director of Administration & Strategic Planning, Livestrong Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, will describe the Summer Healthcare Experience (SHE) program. Piloted in 2019, the program is laying a foundation for reducing the gender gap experienced by women in oncology. The SHE program hosts juniors and seniors who identify as female to participate in a week-long immersion program that introduces them to cancer biology, research, and care. Throughout the week, students also participate in leadership training—applicable in any field they wish to pursue—based on an underlying theme of overcoming the challenges they will face as women in medicine, oncology, and academics.
