Managing cancer center networks is a complex task involving many moving parts: providing care to a large patient catchment area; collaborating with other centers and community sites; working with varied employment network models; using new referral patterns; providing access to clinical trials; incorporating the use of care paths (suggested diagnostic and treatment pathways); and monitoring quality care. Without a clear roadmap, a network can become unmanageable.
Established in 2016 as Dr. Stanton L. Gerson's presidential initiative, the Network Care Initiative will allow cancer centers to improve patient care across network sites by providing standardized, evidence-based care paths; using optimal referral patterns; and providing advanced clinical trials to patients.
In 2017, the steering committee launched a survey to gather information from AACI member cancer centers on the nature of the relationships between main cancer centers and their network sites. Crafted with the assistance of the Physician Clinical Leadership Initiative Steering Committee and the AACI Board of Directors, the survey focuses on three areas of network care: