E-Newsletter - October 2015

Meet the alliance Member Services Enhancement Task Force

Earlier this year, the Alliance convened the Member Services Enhancement Task Force to help improve the overall facilitation and execution of Alliance work. The task force is charged with determining the needs of Alliance institutional members, enhancing Alliance member services accordingly, and improving Alliance operations. The task force seeks to assist institutional research staff in the day-to-day conduct of Alliance studies. The four major areas that the task force is focusing on include study coordination, membership and institutional network management, clinical trials reimbursement and payment mechanisms, and education, training and communications.

So far, the task force has conducted two surveys to learn directly from members the challenges they have to conducting NCTN/NCORP clinical trials. More than 400 Alliance members responded to the first survey and indicated that patient recruitment, time management, protocol management and investigator engagement were among the top four most challenging areas they face in conducting these trials. Results from the second survey will be available in time for face-to-face forums at the upcoming 2015 Alliance Fall Group Meeting in November. (If you plan to attend the fall meeting, please register to participate in these forums.)

Here are the members of the task force who are working diligently to improve overall Alliance operations.

Scott Okuno John Greif Gary Unzeitig Daniel Anderson
            Okuno                      Greif                   Unzeitig            Anderson

  Scott Tagawa Linda Sutton John Lister
        Tagawa                  Sutton                     Lister                      

 Jennifer Dill Emily Houlihan Louisa Brady Pam Moffitt
              Dill                     Houlihan                   Brady                 Moffitt

From top left, members include: Scott H. Okuno, MD - Principal Investigator, Mayo Clinic; Jon M. Greif, DO - Principal Investigator, Bay Area Tumor Institute NCORP; Gary W. Unzeitig, MD - Principal Investigator, Doctor's Hospital of Laredo; Daniel M. Anderson, MD - Principal Investigator, Metro MN, NCORP; Scott T. Tagawa, MD - Principal Investigator, Weill Cornell Medical College; Linda M. Sutton, MD - Principal Investigator, Duke University; John Lister, MD - Principal Investigator, Western Pennsylvania Cancer Institute; Jennifer L. Dill, CCRP – Clinical Research Professional, Washington University; Emily Houlihan – Clinical Research Professional, University of California at San Francisco; and Louise Brady, RN – Oncology Nurse, Christiana NCORP; and Pam Moffitt - Patient Advocate. Members not pictured include: Rebecca Kramer, RN - Oncology Nurse, Geisinger NCORP; Laurie Lewis, RN – Oncology Nurse, Eastern Main Medical Center; and Susan Pekoe, RN – Oncology Nurse, Sentara Hospitals.

Staff advisors: Denise Brennan - Office of the Group Chair/Administration; Michael Kelly, MA - Central Protocol Operations Program; Jackie Lafky, MS - Cancer Control Program; Shauna Hillman, MS - Statistics and Data Center/Statistics/Rave; Barbara Barrett, MS, CCRP - Office of the Group Chair/Audit Program; Carla Amato-Martz, LCSW - American College of Surgeons Clinical Research Program; Yujia Wen, MD, PhD - Translational Research Program; and Beth Keifer - Statistics and Data Center /IS/SMU

Staff responsible for the administration of the task force include Trini Ajazi, MM (Chief Administrative Officer), Marcia Kelly (Membership and Administrative Manager), Munesu Munyaka, CCRP, PMP (Senior Project Manager) and Theresa Barrett (Office Manager).

 

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For other articles in the October issue of Alliance E-News, see below.