Karen M. Winkfield, MD, PhD, of the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, discusses cultural factors that contribute to cancer care disparities, the role of national policy in addressing inequities in access to care, and what local institutions can do to improve the situation.
Manali I. Patel, MD, of Stanford Cancer Center, discusses enhancing value for patients with cancer treated by community practitioners at the end of life by also utilizing trained lay health workers in a novel intervention that reduced the use of acute care and emergency department visits while improving quality of life.
Elena Martinez, PhD, MPH, of Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego, discusses the challenges of ensuring diversity in precision oncology and potential solutions to address the challenges.
Grace C. Hillyer, EdD, MPH, of Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, discusses the many barriers to enrolling patients in clinical trials, most notably different attitudes toward and perceptions about research studies among clinicians vs patients. Her findings point to the need for better communication between the two groups and more patient input (Abstract 170).
Cary P. Gross, MD, of Yale School of Medicine, discusses the challenges of implementing pathways and guiding patient decision-making on treatment.
Linda D. Bosserman, MD, of City of Hope, discusses guidelines vs pathways, how to personalize pathways, integrated diagnostics, supportive care regimens, and financial guidance for patients with cancer.
