WASHINGTON (Oct. 28, 2013) – Congratulations to the George Washington University Cancer Institute (GWCI), who received the 2013 Association of Community Cancer Centers’ (ACCC) Innovator Award. The Institute, housed within the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, was recognized as a top 10 cancer program in developing and pioneering solutions to address the challenges of treating cancer patients.
Established in 2011, ACCC's Innovator Awards are sponsored by GE Healthcare to honor exceptional cancer programs that exhibit forward-thinking strategic planning and have developed pioneering, replicable programs for cancer care delivery. As an award recipient, GWCI had the opportunity to present the details and outcomes of their program at the ACCC National Oncology Conference, Oct. 2-5, 2013 in Boston, before an audience of more than 500 cancer care providers from across the country.
“We aim to set the standard for patient-centered care,” said Associate Director of GWCI Mandi Pratt-Chapman. “This award is a testament to the GW Cancer Institute’s collaborative work with our clinical partners to continually improve the experience of patients.”
GWCI was recognized for its patient-centered programs to exceed new accreditation standards. In the last year, the Institute has focused attention on patient navigation quality improvements, a new distress screening protocol, and increasing referrals to survivorship services. GWCI continues to lead technical support for a Citywide Patient Navigation Network, a safety net for the city’s most vulnerable patients. Navigators in the network have removed barriers to cancer care for more than 7,000 patients in the past three years. The Institute also trains health care professionals across the country on best practices in patient-centered program development to help others meet new accreditation standards.
"Both ACCC and GE Healthcare are proud to honor programs that are enhancing community cancer care through progressive, patient-focused tools and strategies," said Virginia T. Vaitones, MSW, OSW-C, ACCC President and oncology social worker at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, Maine. "They will provide inspiration and spark new innovations for all of us working in cancer care."
