The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC)—which represents more than 34,000 multidisciplinary oncology practitioners—outlined successful programs and initiatives in 2022 that advanced oncology care, according to the ACCC's 2022 Impact Report. These new programs and initiatives included leveraging technology to transform cancer care delivery and the patient experience; promoting equitable access to care, with a specific focus on cancer prevention and early detection for underserved and marginalized patient populations; developing and disseminating multidisciplinary educational programs; and advocating on issues such as permanent adoption of telehealth and virtual care options.
Key Takeaways
The ACCC further highlighted the following significant takeaways from the 2022 Impact Report:
- The Appalachian Community Cancer Alliance and Rural Appalachian Lung Cancer Screening Initiative was formed to combat disparities in cancer screenings.
- The ACCC and ASCO provided joint resources and training programs to promote clinical trial diversity.
- A wide range of education programming was available—including Age-Friendly Health Systems, which helped providers practice the “4 Ms” (what Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) by organizing care and focusing on older adult patients’ wellness and strengths rather than solely on their disease.
- During 2022, numerous successful actions in health policy were initiated—including the delivery of 400 letters to elected officials on priorities such as telehealth; the organization of a convention on a Virtual Hill Day consisting of more than 40 meetings with lawmakers and ACCC members; and the drafting of a set of principles to preserve provider and patient choice in response to increasingly restrictive payer policies about where patients can receive care, how anticancer drugs can be dispensed, and which drugs will ultimately be covered.
Conclusions
In addition to a variety of programmatic offerings and live events, the ACCC also grew its membership by 12%, adding more than 3,700 new multidisciplinary practitioners to its membership body. The new report further provided a snapshot of the year in review, marking ACCC initiatives around milestone events in cancer care—including President Joseph R. Biden’s relaunch of the Cancer Moonshot initiative.
“Year after year since 1974, the [ACCC] has responded to the needs of the professional oncology community. In 2022, [the] ACCC stepped up once again to deliver meaningful resources, critical support tools, and collaborative events to help members navigate exciting advancements in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment,” highlighted Olalekan Ajayi, PharmD, MBA, Chief Operating Officer for Highlands Oncology Group and President of the ACCC. “As the organization continues to rapidly grow, our mission for 2023 is to continue providing multidisciplinary professionals with actionable tools to provide top-tier care in their communities,” he concluded.
Disclosure: For more information on the ACCC’s 2022 Impact Report, visit acc-cancer.org.
