New Administrators Pre-Conference Workshop

Aaron Brammer, Emory University

Julie Abilheira, Lifespan, Rhode Island Hospital

Lisa Keifer, Geisinger Health

Megan Bogany, Baylor College of Medicine

Lee Atkins, Radiation Center of Greater Nashua

Liz Hyde, Oklahoma Cancer Specialists and Research Institute

This course is designed for new administrators for radiation oncology with less than 18 months experience. The course will provide an overview of radiation oncology administration and what you need to know in the first few days, weeks, months on the job, an overview of required knowledge in Human Resources, Administration and Finance, and an overview of the Revenue Cycle. An appendix with related resources, terminology and samples will be included for each of these sections to provide an all-inclusive guide to your first 12-18 months in your position.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define basic and common radiation oncology terminology
2. Summarize the steps from initial patient diagnosis through to treatment plan
3. Identify appropriate codes for each of the stages in the treatment plan
4. Plan effectively for human resources needs and budgetary cycle

TakingPoint: How High-Performance Teams Navigate Change with Resilience & Passion

Brent Gleeson, Taking Point Leadership

In today's volatile, unpredictable, and complex business environment organization can find themselves in an almost constant state of change. But more change initiatives fall short or fail due to a lack of leadership alignment, the proper culture founded on accountability and trust and poor discipline.

Business & Leadership:  The Limitation: Access to Radiation Due to Price/Cost

Jordan Johnson, MSHA, CIO at Oncospark and Founder of Bridge Oncology and HyperOncology

Learning objective: To highlight the widening gap of access to radiation therapy due to current financial models and pricing.

Business & Leadership:  Wellness Strategies & Personal Experience for the Administrative Leader 

Kimberly Smith, MPA, FACHE, Mount Sinai Health System

Description: Employee wellness initiatives are gaining popularity and are recognized as measures leading to improved job satisfaction and staff retention, however the wellness of administrative leadership has received little attention. 

Nursing: RN Staffing Analysis

Kate Gray MSN RN, Director of Nursing, Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology

Michelle Clark-Halligan BSN RN, Penn Medicine

Learning objective: To share Nursing Analysis platform to allow for optimum use of RN and be able to predict what RN support is needed in the future.

Dos and Don’ts for Treatment Devices in Your Department

Tamara Syverson, Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies

Description: In today’s radiation oncology department, the use of treatment devices for immobilization and beam ‎modification are considered to be standard of care.  While the use, construction, and design of these ‎devices is commonplace, the correct application of coding and billing guidelines for these devices can be ‎challenging due to the availability of only four CPT® codes representing a broad array of different devices ‎requiring the clinician to select the correct code to be billed.  These challenges are exacerbated by a ‎plethora of rules and guidelines regarding quantities, dates of service, documentation, type of device, and ‎treatment technique.  The goal of this presentation is to discuss these variables and key concepts to be ‎addressed when assigning codes for the various treatment devices utilized within our radiation oncology ‎departments.   This presentation will review the various types of treatment devices available along with ‎instructions on how to apply the correct code based on the type of device and how and when it is utilized ‎as part of the patient care process.  

 

 

Business & Leadership: Addressing Burnout through Process Improvement and Right Person Right Role Methodology

Nicole Harrison M.A., Mayo Clinic

Jennifer L Mattson, M.A., Mayo Clinic 

Jill  Render, RTT and Sara Walerak, RTT

Learning objective: To alleviate burnout amidst Radiation Therapist and Dosimetrist staffing shortages by leveraging process improvement and right-person-right-role methodology.

 

Technology, Clinical & Ancillary Services: Adaptive Radiation Therapists: Influencing Change

Eric Chambers, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Catherine Wallace, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas

Learning objective: Define a pathway for elevating Radiation Therapists role by expanding their core competencies in the setting of daily adaptive radiotherapy.

Business & Leadership: I Got the Job!  Now What?!

Joanna Vickery Herath, MHA, CMPE, FACHE, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Patricia Saponaro, MS, MBA, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Learning objective: Getting real about how we cultivate and support those who aspire to become leaders and those who are promoted to positions with significant Human Resource and Financial responsibilities.

Nursing: Radiation Oncology Nurses Provide Primary Care Nursing to Brachytherapy Patients

Jill Deverse, MHI, BSN, RN, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Learning objective: Radiation oncology nurses will care for patients requiring anesthesia brachytherapy procedures from arrival through discharge on the radiation oncology unit.

How to Practice Emotional Resilience

Karen Dobkins

This workshop-style lecture explores the topic of emotional resilience, which refers to bouncing back from life’s hard knocks, as well as learning to accept uncomfortable emotion states, which are all part of the human experience.   Much of the time, our minds create elaborate “stories” around the discomfort, which causes much more suffering than the discomfort itself.  Just like a wound on the body that heals, intelligently, on its own time course, so is the case for emotional wounds.  Once we understand that emotional discomfort is an experience, rather than who we are, we can allow it to take its natural course, heal and dissipate.  By allowing (and loving) it all, with a child-like sense of curiosity, we can find freedom from suffering.

Leading Innovation through the Development of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist Role at the Mount Sinai Health System

Kimberly Smith, MPA, FACHE and Samantha Skubish MS, RT(R)(T), Mount Sinai Health System

Novel approach for providing quality, safety, workflow efficiency and value based care through the role of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist, and how MSHS was able to navigate the administrative process to be the first to implement the role in the U.S.

How to Create a Best Place to Work for You and Your Team

Deb Boelkes, Business World Rising

Have you ever landed in a management role you never expected or requested? Were you ever thrust into leading former peers who believed they deserved your position? Did you ever win what you thought would be the ideal next assignment, only to find it fraught with nerve-racking personnel issues?

In this energizing and confidence-building session, Heartfelt Leadership expert Deb Boelkes will share how easy it can be to magically transform your organization into one you’ll be proud to lead, where team members will never want to leave as long as you’re in charge.

Nursing:  Implementing a Clinical Care Model in Radiation Oncology to drive improved quality outcomes and nurse engagement

Stephen Miller, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Mirah Murray, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Learning objective: This presentation will discuss how to implement a Clinical Care Model in Radiation Oncology to drive improved quality outcomes and nurse engagement.

Quality & Safety:  Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA): Quality Tool: Improving Novel Equipment Processes

Celia Johnston, Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology

Virginia Lockamy, Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology

Nicole Cleary, Virtua Health

Description: At a multi-institution, a Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA) quality tool was used for conducting a proactive and systematic analysis of a proposed novel treatment system which allowed a cross-functional team to prevent adverse events from occurring.

Business & Leadership:  Our Experience in Developing, Implementing, and Maintaining a Radiation Therapist Professional Development Model

Kristin A. Heath, DBA, MBA, MHA, R.T.(R)(T), Miami Cancer Institute

Amy Thompson, B.S., R.T.(T), Community MD Anderson Cancer Center

Description: How we navigated developing, implementing, and maintaining a professional development model for radiation therapist to help with professional development and retention.

Business & Leadership: No Benchwarmers Allowed! Implementing a Successful Interprofessional Shared Governance

Amy Hicks, DNP, RN, ACCNS-AG, NEA-BC, Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute

Learning objective: A plan for successfully implementing an interprofessional shared governance structure in radiation oncology.

Business & Leadership and Payer Trends: Current and future changes in reimbursement payor and legislative update you NEED in radiation therapy

James E Hugh, AMAC

Description Most current information on updates in regulations, reimbursement issues in Radiation Oncology

Nursing: RN Onboarding in Radiation Oncology

Abigail F Neff BSN, RN, OCN, Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology

Description: Our experience in the successful onboarding of 12 new Radiation Oncology nurses and how it can be applied to other centers.

Quality & Safety: Multi-disciplinary Care Paths in the Management of Head and Neck Patients

Deborah Panetta, B.S., R.T.T., Director Radiation Oncology, The Valley Hospital

Linda Ohnikian, BSN, RN, OCN, Radiation Oncology Clinical Shift Supervisor, The Valley Hospital

Caitlin Ciallella, DNP, AGACNP-BC, Advanced Practice Nurse Navigator, Head and Neck Oncology-The Valley Hospital

Learning objective: Review best practice strategies through the implementation of a multi-disciplinary care path app roach in the comprehensive management of the head and neck cancer population; delivering safe, high quality care.

Payer Trends: The economics of radiation oncology and healthcare

Ron Digiaimo, Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies

Learning objective: Present radiation oncology reimbursement trend and compare to healthcare as a whole.

Quality & Safety: Effective Communication and implementation changes

Maricruz Richardson, Trinity Health of New England

Learning objective: Give healthcare managers tools in communicating and implementing changes to employees to deliver more effectively.

Business & Leadership and Technology, Clinical & Ancillary Services: Key Practice Metrics in Radiation Oncology 

Jennifer Mattson, Mayo Clinic and Nicole Harrison, M.A., Mayo Clinic

Learning objective: To understand and extract key clinical practice metrics to assist in measuring workload and identify appropriate resources.

Business & Leadership and Payer Trends: Achieving Best Practice, Pipe Dream or Reality? 

Teri Bedard, BA, RT(R)(T), CPC, Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies

Learning objective: Best practice for documentation, coding, and billing is not a pipe dream, it does exist, and it can be achieved with the right tools and a little knowledge of where to look. 

Nursing: Engage, Empower, Excel! Strategies for Reigniting Nurse Engagement

Amy Hicks, DNP, RN, ACCNS-AG, NEA-BC, Atrium Health Levine Cancer Center

Learning objective: Identify strategies the attendees can implement to improve nurse retention and engagement.

Technology, Clinical & Ancillary Services:  Remote Radiation Therapists

Lea Woods, R.T.(R)(T), Chief Therapist, Piedmont Carolinas Radiation Therapy, Levine Cancer Institute

Learning objective: Introducing the Role of Remote Radiation Therapists

 

Public Policy Panel

Anne Hubbard, Director Health Policy ASTRO

Fraser Cobb, Executive Director ACRO