Association of Community Cancer Centers Announces President for 2020 to 2021

Randall A. Oyer, MD

Randall A. Oyer, MD

Randall A. Oyer, MD, was named President for 2020 to 2021 of The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) during the ACCC 46^thAnnual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit, according to a press release.

Oyer, an oncologist at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute at Penn Medicine Lancaster General, announced the theme of his presidency will be, “Community Oncology Can Close the Gap in Cancer Research,” with plans to improve care by implementing clinical trials in communities that are generally underserved.

To achieve this goal, a multidisciplinary task force will be created to identify resources that may accelerate the process of incorporating clinical trials into the community oncology setting. Experts will be brought together to address the challenges and barriers of implementing clinical trial adoption in this setting, and a media series will be developed to educate physicians on best practices with clinical trials.

“When I think about ASP+6 [Average Sales Price + 6%] and maintain that, ACCC was really at the forefront of that work with CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services],” Oyer said in his speech at the meeting. “My program has wanted, for a while, to develop a geriatric oncology program, and I read the literature, I understood the benefit, but I really didn’t know how to start. The team here at ACCC has put together a roadmap. We’re looking at the tiers of work that need to be done, and all of a sudden, it seems to be easy.

“Well, not really easy, but you see a way into the work,” he added. “It’s really been a wonderful experience for me and my department to be a part of ACCC and to learn from ACCC, and all these programs have been developed in response to community need.”

According to a survey conducted by ACCC in 2019, the top 3 obstacles of implementing clinical trials according to members of the association include staff resources and training (53%), program infrastructure (50%), and lack of patient understanding regarding the process of trials (46%).

At the 2020 ACCC Institute for the Future of Oncology forum, Oyer hopes that experts can come together to collaborate and address how clinical trials can be adopted most efficiently into the community practice. A series of articles, blogs, and podcasts can also help educate physicians of best practices in accruing and managing clinical trials and will be developed to keep community members of the association informed.

There has been a major imbalance in clinical trials, whereas patients in the community do not have access to the trials being conducted at academic medical centers. Oyer believes that ACCC is uniquely situated in a place where they will be able to close this gap.

Oyer previously served as co-principal investigator and advisory committee co-chair for the ACCC Improving Care Coordination: A Model for Lung Cancer Patients on Medicaid education project, and he is an active member of the ACCC Governmental Affairs Committee, as well as the Clinical Affairs Committee. He has also served as a member of the Advisory Committee for the ACCC Molecular Testing education program. Oyer has presented at countless ACCC meetings as well, demonstrating his active role in the ACCC community.

Oyer has served as a member on a number of other committees, including the CMS Ambulatory Payment Classification Panel and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Committee.

Prior to joining ACCC in 2006, Oyer graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship at the Medical College of Pennsylvania. He served as the medical director of Oncology and the Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at Lancaster General Health. He served as chairman of the Cancer Committee, as well.

Reference:

Randall A. Oyer, MD, Becomes President of the Association of Community Cancer Centers [news release]. Rockville, MD: ACCC; March 11, 2020. https://bit.ly/33cfp6M. Accessed March 11, 2020.