Specialty Groups — Oncology
ACOA President’s Letter
May/June 2002
Welcome to the American College of Oncology Administrator’s web-page.
The American College of Oncology Administrators’ (ACOA) Journal of Oncology Management focuses on clinical research in its current issue. With the continued development of new biological and genomic diagnostic and treatment solutions, the role of clinical research becomes ever more important in cancer programs throughout the country, regardless of size or geographic location. As these new and exciting advances continue to be introduced at an unprecedented rate, the area of clinical research is undergoing a significant change.
Individuals and organizations involved in clinical research are and will continue to be challenged by a number of key trends:
- Increased monitoring and oversight by federal agencies.
- Public and political action on a multitude of complex ethical issues
- Pharmaceutical companies changing their role in the clinical research process to speed up the approval process and to manage the significant increase in new agents and licenses that are being created.
- Academic medical centers, teaching hospitals, physician research networks, and for-profit clinical research organizations that target clinical research as strategic business opportunities.
In one form or another, the authors who’s articles are included in the journal and on the website address these issues and provide guidance to all who are involved in the very exciting, yet increasingly complex field of clinical research.
Since I wrote to you last, the ACOA board continues to work on a number of initiatives for our membership, including:
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Continued focus on the new JOM reimbursement column. I encourage you to provide our editor, Darlene Johnson ([email protected]), with your comments about the new column or topics to be addressed in future columns.
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Jeannie O’Leary, RN, MSN, AOCN, Director of Oncology Services at OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, in Rockford IL, has been appointed as the ACOA liaison to the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
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The ACOA annual conference, conducted in conjunction with the American Academy of Medical Administrators annual meeting, will be held this year in Boston, on November 21 – 23. The course tracks and speakers have been selected. This issue of JOM contains general information about the conference. More detailed information will be provided in future issues and is also available on the ACOA’s website. To learn more, you can also link directly to the education descriptions here, education sessions or a complete conference brochure is also available online in a downloadable format from the American Academy of Medical Administrators (AAMA). I encourage you to mark the conference dates on your calendar and welcome you to join us for this exciting and educational series in historic Boston.
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The college will focus on membership recruitment this year in recognition of the growth in cancer programs and increased numbers and responsibilities of cancer program administrators. I encourage you to pass this site on to a colleague or friend.
I hope you find the columns in ACOA’s Journal of Oncology Management useful and informative. Please feel free to share your thoughts about this issue or topics for future issues with our co-editors and/or publisher. Your feedback is valued as we strive to provide you with a resource that we hope will help you make a difference in providing the best cancer care possible to your community.
Best regards,
Joseph M. Spallina, FAAMA, FACHE
President, American College of Oncology Administrators, a specialty group of the American Academy of Medical Administrators