Thompson Cancer Survival Foundation

Programs: Multidisciplinary operating grant. See schedule o. Multidisciplinary operating grant: expenses $530,194 including grants of $530,194. Multidisciplinary treatment facilitates specialty physicians discussing treatment options based on the individuality of one's circumstances. The multidisciplinary cancer care coordinator schedules a private consultation for each patient with the members of the specialty team. This approach affords the opportunity for the physician to relate one-on-one with the patient and explain treatment choices in lay language. Patients in need of this support come from various covenant health facilities. In 2016, 413 breast patients were under conference discussion and 154 were seen in clinic; 143 chest patients were under conference discussion and 12 were seen in clinic; and an additional 334 general tumor patients and 144 neuro cancer patients were discussed in conference. In addition in 2016, tcsc foundation funded the addition of 4 nurses to the patient navigation program. The nurse navigators assist patients according to their needs and help them overcome multiple barriers to healthcare. Common barriers include financial, education, transportation, logistics, language and culture, emotional, and a complicated health care system in general. Our navigators guide patients to sources of financial support, help complete paperwork, educate patients on diagnoses and medical procedures, arrange and coordinate appointments with multiple providers, help with transportation, assist with housing, communicate with providers about unique patient needs, ensure medical records arrive at scheduled appointments, direct patients to support groups or counseling services, and attend patient appointments for support. They work diligently to meet the needs of our patients and families. Navigators are working with patients having all solid tumor cancer types. Tcsc nurse navigators also lead the low dose ct lung screening program for fort sanders regional and fort sanders west. This program was started in march 2016. There were 244 total patients scheduled with 143 normal results. 31 patients were found to have abnormal screening followed by 3 or 6 month follow-up and 4 had abnormal pet, biopsy pending. There were 4 patients screened that resulted in a positive cancer diagnosis.

social services operating grant. See schedule o. Social services operating grant: expenses $492,721, including grants of $492,721. The foundation made a grant to support the operations of the social services department of the thompson cancer survival center. The social services department receives referrals from covenant health facilities when patients are identified that could benefit from the services provided by this department. In 2016, the social services department supported 1,580 new patient referrals and 3,956 follow-up patients. Additionally, 997 newly referred patients and 3,557 follow-up patients were provided with nutritional counseling and education. The social services department includes a genetics clinic staffed by two licensed and certified genetic counselors who provide breast cancer and hereditary cancer risk assessments and who coordinate genetic testing. In 2016, the genetics clinic received referrals from covenant health facilities for 588 new patients who were in need of counseling, including 470 who pursued genetic testing. Of those, 12% tested positive for a hereditary cancer syndrome. Whether patients tested positive or negative for a hereditary cancer syndrome, decided not to pursue testing, or were not appropriate candidates for testing, they and their families were able to make informed decisions regarding their medical management based on the genetic counseling they received.

clinical trials operating grant. See schedule o. Clinical trials operating grant: expenses $207,914, including grants of $207,914. Tcsc foundation provides an operating grant to the thompson cancer survival center for its clinical trials program. Since the opening of tcsc in 1988, the clinical trials department has enrolled 2,326 patients in clinical trials. The tcsc clinical trials department currently has 20 active treatment patients who were referred from covenant health facilities and 160 patients in follow-up. In 2016, tcsc clinical trials department enrolled 22 patients to oncology clinical trials. To help with screening efforts, research nurse coordinators are assigned to specific physician schedules for screening and to specific locations for coverage, including thompson oncology group's oak ridge, sevierville, west knoxville, downtown knoxville and blount sites. Opening new studies increases referrals locally and regionally and gives current patients the ability to be treated with state-of-the-art care in their own community. Involvement in prevention and treatment trials offers an improved means of health strategies for individuals at risk for certain cancers, as well as access to proven standard cancer treatments and new, developing cutting edge therapies for those diagnosed with cancer.

the foundation made other grants to assist patients identified at covenant health facilities as in need of cancer support services and programs provided by thompson cancer survival center. This assistance includes the fellowship center which is a free lodging and care facility for patients coming to the area for treatment from 30 miles or more away. Patients in financial need have access to means of transportation, accommodations and other resources related to individual care. Also, free or low-cost community screenings and education programs are offered for early cancer detection and prevention.