This article is adapted, in part, from an article that appeared in SROA’s publication, Radiation Oncology for Administrators (Vol 31 No 5).

The National Cancer Institute describes financial toxicity as “problems a cancer patient has related to the cost of treatment.” Out-of-pocket costs, such as copayments, deductibles and coinsurance not covered by health insurance, can cause patients financial distress. Financial hardship due to treatment can cause higher household debt, depletion of savings and even the need to seek bankruptcy protection. Financial issues affect patients’ emotional and physical well-being and their survival. Some patients may even have to delay or abandon treatment.

There are more than 100 types of cancer. Cancers are usually named after the organs or tissues where they are located. Major cancers like breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, liver, cervical and ovarian cancer are more well-known because there are more diagnoses. We put together a list of important cancer awareness days that are recognized nationally and internationally each year. This list is comprehensive, but not exhaustive, so we apologize for any we’ve missed.

Almost everyone knows someone who has been affected personally by cancer. In 2021, the American Cancer Society estimated there would be 1.9 million new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. and 608,570 cancer deaths. The National Cancer Institute reported that in 2020, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers accounted for an estimated 43 percent of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2020; breast, lung and colorectal accounted for an estimated 50 percent of all new cancer diagnoses in women.

We have put together a list of cancer awareness months

Content in the blog post is adapted from an article published in Radiation Oncology News for Administrators Vol 31 No 4.

Genomic-adjusted radiation dose (GARD) shows great promise in helping clinicians tailor radiotherapy treatments for patients. SROA first published an article about GARD in 2017. A new study about GARD published in The Lancet Oncology “validates the association between GARD and radiation therapy outcome in a large cohort of patients, across seven different cancer types.” These cancers include cancers of the breast, head and neck, endometrium, melanoma, glioma, pancreas and lung (NSCLC).

Teri Bedard, Executive Director, Client & Corporate Resources with Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies, discusses new technologies. This content originally appeared in Radiation Oncology News for Administrators, Vol. 31 No. 3.

Teri Bedard, Executive Director, Client & Corporate Resources with Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies, discusses the impact of COVID-19, telehealth, and hypofractionation. This content originally appeared in Radiation Oncology News for Administrators, Vol. 31 No. 3.

Patty Saponaro, Associate Chair for Administration at UNC Radiation Oncology, presented on mentoring and being mentored.

The leader’s role is to be curious, to keep learning, and to teach others, she said. You have to start with the work (what work needs to be done) and knowing what you have to offer and what the person wants. In doing so, you’re asking the person to be self-reflective about why they’re seeking mentorship.

Sunday afternoon’s general session address featured Dr. Ralph Gigliotti, Director of Rutgers University’s Center For Organizational Leadership. He spoke about how crisis has become a more negative and complex term.

He presented six key strategies for administrators:

1. Focus on items within your immediate control and influence.
2. Develop a clear understanding of your leadership goals.
3. Design strategies for meaningfully engaging others in strategy, change, planning and crisis efforts.
4. Prioritize wellness and well-being.
5. Adopt people-centered approaches for navigating the “minefield” of the post-pandemic workplace.
6. Remember your why.

SROA’s 38^th Annual Meeting kicked off with a keynote presentation by Sara Ross, Chief Vitality Officer at BrainAMPED, a leadership research and coaching firm. 

Three key takeaways from her presentation about developing a vitality mindset are:

1. Be willing to unlearn old intentions and re-learn new responses to serve that impact.
2. Shift your thinking from, “What’s wrong with them?” to “I wonder what’s going on with them.”
3. Write your own positive proof with a resilience resume. Keep it close, update it often, refer to it regularly.

Teri Bedard, Executive Director, Client & Corporate Resources with Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies, discusses the RO-APM. This content originally appeared in Radiation Oncology News for Administrators, Vol. 31 No. 3.