As part of ASCO’s efforts to support cancer researchers and research sites, the ASCO Research Community Forum was created in 2010 to help physician investigators and research staff overcome common barriers to conducting research and enhance their research-site operations. The Forum is a go-to resource for the entire research community, offering tools for cancer research sites of all sizes and fostering collaboration between researchers.
Each year, the Forum brings together researchers and staff from research sites across the country during the ASCO Research Community Forum Annual Meeting to identify challenges facing the research community—along with solutions. Ideas generated through the Forum’s Annual Meeting have driven the development of a range of tools and resources to assist with managing clinical research programs. Some of the most popular tools and resources include:
ASCO Research Program Quality Assessment Tool
An online tool for research sites to establish or enhance their internal quality assessment program. The tool helps sites evaluate whether their program includes important quality processes and identify areas to improve. Access the tool at pqat.asco.org by signing in with your ASCO.org login information.
ASCO Clinical Trial Workload Assessment Tool
An online tool aimed at helping research administrators assess clinical trial–associated workload, based on the complexity of research protocols and the number of patients assigned to staff. Access the tool at workload.asco.org.
Clinical Trial Resource Library
An online repository of clinical trial resources, organized by resource topic area, including basics for starting a research program, program administration, budget management, study start-up, management of trials and patients, data management, and quality assessment. The site is updated frequently, and ASCO members are encouraged to e-mail researchcommunityforum@asco.org
with resources they have found useful that should be added to the library.
These free tools and resources can be accessed at ASCO.org/research-community-forum, along with information about the upcoming ASCO Research Community Forum Annual Meeting, which will be held September 24–25, 2017, in Alexandria, Virginia. Space is limited, so be sure to register early. ■
© 2017. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.
