CANCER BUZZ

On this episode, we'll hear what genetic counselors wish providers would say to their patients. We'll uncover a few common barriers to genetic counseling and testing for patients with cancer and—from the genetic counselor's perspective—how providers can help improve the uptake of testing delivered via telehealth to educate, inform, and improve patient care.

Genetic counselors—as members of the cancer care team—can help patients better understand their cancer diagnosis, make informed treatment decisions, and navigate the financial costs of testing.

Guest:

Katie Lemas, MS, CGC Certified Genetic Counselor Genome Medical

Related Resources

• [WEBINAR] Using Telemedicine to Assess Psychosocial Health
• [WEBINAR] Virtual Assessment of Physical Function in Adults with Cancer: Practical Tips
• Metastatic Breast Cancer Digital Resource Library
• Effective Principles & Practices in Patient Support Workbook (Part I)
• Effective Principles in Action Publication (Part II)
• Multidisciplinary Team Communication: Survey Highlights
• The Need for Increased Access to Genetic Counselors
• Genetic Counselor Extenders Help Meet Growing Demand for Services
• Bill to Improve Access to Genetic Counseling Introduced in House and Senate
• Making the Business Case for Hiring a Board-Certified Genetic Counselor
• [PODCAST] Ep 53: Telehealth & Genetics During COVID-19

This video podcast is part of the ACCC Multidisciplinary Metastatic Breast Cancer Project.

One serious, unwanted side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is the potential for "substantial" consequences for cancer outcomes due to delayed access to cancer diagnosis and treatment. Hear from the author of a study that detected a substantial decrease (among American seniors) in cancer screenings, visits, therapy, and surgeries. The study concluded that—if left unaddressed—these decreases and delays in identifying new cancers and in treatment delivery would increase cancer morbidity and mortality for years to come.

Guest:

Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, FASCO

Executive Vice President, Public Policy and Strategic Initiatives

Texas Oncology

Related Content:

• ASCO Road to Recovery Report: Learning From the COVID-19 Experience to Improve Clinical Research and Cancer Care
• ACCC 38th [Virtual] National Oncology Conference
• [PODCAST] Ep 47: Telehealth after COVID-19
• Telemedicine and Cancer Care: Today's Learnings for a Post-Pandemic World
• [PODCAST] Ep 56: What Comes Next for Telehealth?
• [BLOG] Managing COVID+ Oncology Patients at Home During Treatment
• [BLOG] Extending Telehealth Beyond the Pandemic
• Telehealth Resource Library
• [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 64: A Summer of Disconnect for Cancer Professionals
• [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 67: Coping with Pandemic Grief

At Stanford Health Care, an experienced licensed clinical social worker with oncology certification has developed a full-time behavioral health role within the organization's large radiation oncology department, including leading the self-care segment for the department's internal podcast.

By creating this staff podcast, Stanford Health Care's Radiation Oncology Department came up with a way to bring staff together, get to know each other a little better, acknowledge the emotional and psychological toll of caring for cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, and support well-being for each other as well as for those they care for.

Guest:

Jenny Kwak, LCSW, OSW-C Behavioral Health Clinician, Radiation Oncology

Stanford Health Care Related Content

ACCC President's Theme: Real-World Lessons from COVID-19: Driving Oncology Care Forward

Writing Medicine: Reflective writing sessions for healthcare workers and their loved ones in the time of Covid-19

Stanford's Medicine and the Muse Program

[Blog] Why Social Workers Are Essential: A Q&A With ACCC's New President

[Podcast] Ep. 11 Sustaining Whole Patient Care

[Podcast] Ep. 2 Fostering Cancer Care Team Resiliency & Well-Being

[Video Podcast] Ep. 1 Real World Lessons From COVID-19

From Oncology Issues Journal

Caring for the caregiver

Mind, body, and spirit

Behavior health assessment and intervention for oncology patients

The trauma of cancer: caring for the mind and the body

Guided patient support

Financial advocacy is a complex field of work that requires advocates keep up with the evolving healthcare landscape of payer policies, cancer treatment options, available financial assistance, and more. To support new—and experienced—staff who preform financial advocacy services, the ACCC Financial Advocacy Network created the "Ready, Set, Go! Financial Advocacy Playbook." In this episode, we discuss the great need this robust resource fills in helping relieve financial toxicity, so patients can focus on their cancer care.

Guest:

Rifeta Kajdic Oncology Program Manager, St. Luke's Cancer Institute, Boise, Idaho Advisory Committee Member and Workforce Task Force Member, ACCC Financial Advocacy Network

Related Content:

• ACCC Financial Advocacy Boot Camp
• Making the Business Case for Hiring a Financial Navigator
• Financial Advocacy Toolkit
• Financial Advocate Spotlight
• ACCC Patient Assistance & Reimbursement Guide
• ACCC 2021 Oncology Reimbursement Meetings
• Trending Now in Cancer Care
• [On-Demand Webinar] Make the Most of Financial Resources and Improve the Reimbursement Process in Your Cancer Program
• [Podcast] Ep 13: Financial Health Literacy
• Advocating Amid a Crisis: The Expanding Role of financial Advocates in the Age of COVID-19
• Fighting Financial Toxicity
• Financial Advocacy Network 2019-2020 Census Survey
• [Abstract] Assessing Effectiveness of a Self-Guided Training Program for Oncology Financial Advocates

In this special podcast episode, we talk with oncology social worker and ACCC President Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, about the overwhelming grief of the pandemic and its toll on cancer care professionals.

She reflects on how healthcare professionals are coping with fear and processing grief, and the signs of grief that people should look for in themselves. Krista shares the importance of self-awareness and being vulnerable, and learning how to voice one's needs during this stressful time to family and friends who are not in healthcare.

Guest:

Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW

ACCC 2021-2022 President

Program Manager of Quality & Research, Cancer Support Services & Compassion

Providence Cancer Institute

Portland, OR

Related Content:

• Mindfulness Meditation Series
• Real-World Lessons from COVID-19: Driving Oncology Care Forward
• [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 01: Real-World Lessons from COVID-19
• [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 28: Staff Resiliency During COVID-19
• Trending Now in Cancer Care: Focus on COVID-19's Impact
• [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 59: Collaboration and Innovation in the Time of COVID-19
• [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 64: A Summer of Disconnect for Cancer Professionals
• A Social Worker Leads ACCC, and Her Timing is Perfect

During the summer months of 2021, community transmission rates of COVID-19 have again surged across the U.S. People with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other blood cancers, who are immunocompromised, face added risk from COVID-19 and need more information on vaccine and booster shot efficacy.

In this episode, Gwen Nichols, MD, Chief Medical Officer, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), explains how patients are helping researchers discover these answers through participation in the LLS National Patient Registry and the far-reaching effects their participation will have on improving care for patients with blood cancer.

Guest: Gwen Nichols, MD

Chief Medical Officer

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)

Related Content

• Returning to Practice in the Post-COVID-19 Era: Resources for Treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
• [PODCAST] Ep 61: CLL Patient Education in Transitional Times
• [PODCAST] Ep 57: COVID-19 Challenges: Managing Patients with CLL
• [WEBINAR] Learning from COVID-19: Coping Strategies for CLL Providers & Patients
• [WEBINAR] Plain & Simple: Strategies for Improving Health Literacy
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)
• LLS National Patient Registry
• A study from The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society shows COVID-19 vaccine is safe but 25% of blood cancer patients do not produce detectable antibodies. Read the full paper published in Cancer Cell here.
• COVID-19 vaccine safety among blood cancer patients
• COVID-19 vaccine FAQ for patients and caregivers

While most cancer programs in the United States report that they employ advanced practitioners (APs), they are often not utilized to the full scope of their abilities in clinical research. In this episode, Beth Faiman, PhD, MSN, APRN-BC, AOCN, FAAN, shares the evolution of the advanced practitioner role at her institution, where APs have a larger voice in the research process and clinical trial protocols, serve as champions to advocate for patients and research staff, and collaborate with their team to promote best practices in clinical trial delivery. Guest: Beth Faiman, PhD, MSN, APRN-BC, AOCN, FAAN Nurse Practitioner Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, Ohio This is the third mini-podcast in a series, which highlights key takeaways from the spring 2021 ACCC-Harborside Virtual Summit to "Define the Role of Oncology Advanced Practitioners in Equitable Cancer Care Delivery." Related Content: -[MINI-PODCAST] Ep 60: Advancing Clinical Trial Equity -Paving the Way for APPs in Clinical Research [Oncology Issues article] -How Oncology Advanced Practitioners Can Enhance Community Oncology Research [On-demand webinar] -Disparities in Cancer Research: A Precursor to Disparate Cancer Outcomes: Health Equities -Clinical Cancer Advances 2021: ASCO's Report on Progress Against Cancer -The Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard developed a comprehensive guidance document and supplementary toolkit to enhance diversity in clinical trials. -ACCC Community Oncology Research Institute -ASCO-ACCC Initiative to Increase Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Clinical Trials -In Pursuit of Equity: Diversity in Clinical Research Participation [Webinar] -Practical Solutions to Better Engage Cancer Professionals with Communities of Color [Webinar]

A physician and administrator champion at Cone Health Cancer Center talk about why it's more important than ever to make transportation assistance available to patients with cancer and how these services help improve health outcomes and the patient experience. Hear how an awareness of social determinants of health can improve health equity and reduce disparities, and how to make the business case to gain buy-in from hospital and healthcare leadership.

For those looking to implement a similar program, our guests suggest a three-prong approach: develop your playbook, build your infrastructure, and then pilot your program before scaling it up.

Guests:

Skip Hislop, MS, R(T)R

Vice President, Oncology Services

Cone Health Cancer Center

Greensboro, NC

Matthew Manning, MD

Chief of Oncology

Cone Health Cancer Center

Greensboro, NC

Relevant Content:

• Implementing a Transportation Hub: A Holistic Approach to a Systemic Problem
• Catch a Ride, Save a Life: Transportation Program Reduces No-Shows
• The Study of High-Cost Oncology Patients to Improve Care & Curb Costs
• Growing a Patient Transportation Program
• The Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) Program
• ACCC Financial Advocacy Boot Camp
• ACCC Financial Advocacy Services Guidelines
• [PODCAST] End of Life Disparities
• [PODCAST] Cultural Humility and Sensitivity
• Practical Solutions to Better Engage Cancer Professionals with Communities of Color
• BLOG: Closing Care Gaps for LGBTQI+ Cancer Providers
• BLOG: Community Outreach to Address Disparities in Cancer Care
• Cancer Care Considerations for Sexual and Gender Minority Patients

As pandemic restrictions begin to loosen in many communities across the country, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) face greater uncertainty in this "new normal" due to their increased risk for contracting COVID-19 and a lower response rate to the vaccine.

On this episode, three clinicians discuss their experiences with difficult conversations on the relative risks and benefits around treatment decisions, engaging the entire cancer team in shared decision-making with patients, accessing emerging evidence and data in this rapidly evolving environment, and the potential impact of variant exposure on this unique patient population.

Guests:

John N. Allan, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology

Weill Cornell Medicine

New York, NY

Mark J. Fesler, MD

Director, Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine

Division of Hematology and Oncology

Saint Louis University

St. Louis, MO

Susannah P. Friemel, MD

Owner/President

Iowa Cancer Specialists, PC

Davenport, IA

Related Content

• [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 02: Myeloma Care Strategies & COVID-19
• Trending Now in Cancer Care Resources
• Telehealth at Its Best: Transitioning a Comprehensive Psychosocial Program to a Virtual Format
• Telemedicine and Cancer Care: Today's Learnings for a Post-Pandemic World
• ACCC Telehealth Resources
• [PODCAST] Episode 28: Telehealth & Genetics During COVID-19
• [PODCAST] Mini-Podcast: Staff Resiliency During COVID-19

On this CANCER BUZZ podcast, we focus on the mental and emotional toll the pandemic continues to have on cancer care professionals who acknowledge that we're not on the other side of the pandemic—while much of the public experiences a "summer of joy" due to rising vaccination rates. This week's guest is Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, oncology social worker and ACCC President. She explains the concerns of cancer care professionals who continue to deal with the challenges of caring for patients with cancer as a global pandemic continues to wear on their own well-being. Guest: Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW ACCC 2021-2022 President Program Manager of Quality & Research, Cancer Support Services & Compassion Providence Cancer Institute Portland, OR Related Content: • Real-World Lessons from COVID-19: Driving Oncology Care Forward • [VIDEO PODCAST] Ep 01: Real-World Lessons from COVID-19 • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 28: Staff Resiliency During COVID-19 • Trending Now in Cancer Care: Focus on COVID-19's Impact • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 59: Collaboration and Innovation in the Time of COVID-19 • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 58: Impact of COVID-19 on Revenue Optimization • A Social Worker Leads ACCC, and Her Timing is Perfect • Mindfulness Meditation Series