Improving timely identification and referral of patients who may be eligible for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is critical for improving outcomes for patients with hematologic malignancies. On February 7, 2024, ACCC hosted a virtual Working Summit: Advancing CAR T-Cell Therapy Care Continuity and Collaborative Patient Education to explore topics including patient and caregiver needs as well as care coordination between referring providers and certified CAR T-cell therapy centers.

In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Amy D. Smith, FNP-BC, director of the Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center at Ivinson Memorial Hospital and co-chair of the Summit about the event’s key findings, which can guide cancer programs in building a framework for optimized CAR T-cell therapy care coordination.

“The goal really was how do we get those patients [receiving CAR T-cell therapy] back here and get them back into some kind of normalcy in their life sooner? A lot of that is building relationships and having trust with those providers in the academic centers that are performing the CAR T, so that they know that we can provide safe care at home.” –Amy D. Smith, FNP-BC

“Keeping care close to home is near to my heart, living in a rural area. That was one takeaway... how do we collaborate better to make this happen for our patients and care teams? –Amy D. Smith, FNP-BC

Amy D. Smith, FNP-BC

Director, Meredith and Jeannie Ray Cancer Center

Ivinson Memorial Hospital

Laramie, WY

This episode was developed in connection with the ACCC education program Tips for Early Patient Identification for CAR T-Cell Therapy and Care Continuity with Community Providers and made possible with support by Kite Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, and Legend Biotech, and through partnerships with Cancer Support Community, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, and the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology.

Resources:

• ACCC CAR T-Cell Therapy Focus Group Highlights
• Tips for Early Patient Identification for CAR T-Cell Therapy and Care Continuity with Community Providers
• Community CAR T-Cell Patient Identification Framework – CANCER BUZZ [Mini Podcast] Ep 138
• If They Recur, You Should Refer—A Community Oncologist Patient ID Roundtable Summary  – from Oncology Issues Vol. 38, No. 6