OREANDA-NEWS. November 06, 2013. Ten abstracts submitted by clinicians and practice representatives affiliated with The US Oncology Network will be presented during the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Quality Care Symposium being held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, Calif.

Of those, three address the vital topic of advance care planning (ACP) and the value an ACP program can bring to cancer patients and their families.

Sabrina Mikan, Ph.D., R.N., A.C.N.S.-B.C., clinical nurse specialist and ACP coordinator for Texas Oncology, is the lead author of the abstract titled, Assessing patient values first: Creating a platform for advance care planning (ACP) in the adult oncology population. This program begins with learning patients' values which are important when having ACP conversations. Additionally, the program tested a structured process for identifying eligible patients for those conversations.

"Advance care planning is a critical component of the cancer care continuum for all stakeholders, including patients, their families and the oncology healthcare team," said Mikan. "Developing a program that helps patients voice their values and needs at every stage of care, as well as allows providers to better understand their patients' needs, is crucial. That's why it's important for us to evaluate quality programs such as this one."

Another abstract titled, Pathways impact on chemotherapy administration before death, will be included in an Audio Poster Tour hosted by the ASCO Quality Care Symposium in which select posters are discussed, explaining their significance, strengths and take-home points. Meeting attendees can download the file on-site and go on self-guided tours of the poster room while listening to the recording.

The abstract presents data from across The US Oncology Network addressing chemotherapy administered within 14 and 30 days of death in patients treated On-Pathway vs. Off-Pathway for breast, colon, NSCLC, SCLC, and pancreatic cancers.

"The US Oncology Network's pathways program is supported by our robust electronic health record, iKnowMed, and we are investigating the many ways these pathways can impact the quality and cost of care," said Marcus Neubauer, M.D., medical director of Oncology Services for McKesson Specialty Health and lead author of Pathways impact on chemotherapy administration before death. "A big question now is how do pathways impact end-of-life care. We attempt to answer this question in the poster presentation."

Some of the work featured at the meeting highlights technology, survivorship, pathways, advance care planning, disease management and mid-level provider utilization. A full list of The Network affiliated programs on display at the ASCO Quality Care Symposium is below. For more information or to interview an investigator, contact The US Oncology Network Public Relations Manager, Claire Crye at 281-863-6783.