EDUCATION TRANSFORMS CARE

Education is fundamental to everything we do in the Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network. Whether it’s between a provider and a patient, or shared among hundreds in a conference, providing relevant and accurate information is a core element to our mission.

As part of an academic healthcare system – and representing the Markey Cancer Center, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – MCCAN is uniquely positioned to work with cancer programs throughout the Commonwealth. By combining the resources of our institution with the real-life experiences of our communities, we create educational opportunities that are intentional and appropriate for the intended audience. And by offering a variety of ways to deliver content virtually, our Network members in the most rural areas of the state have access without leaving town.

Our education efforts were evident across the country this year when the Iowa Cancer Affiliate Network held its first conference in November. Modeled after MCCAN, I-CAN works with rural hospitals to improve their cancer programs and seek Commission on Cancer accreditation. The conference was the culmination of a five-year NCI grant and collaboration between MCCAN and the University of Iowa.

The articles in our report highlight our education team and some of the unique programs and themes that we’ve offered. Numbers are always important, such as participants and continuing education credit, but the benefits of our educational efforts are truly immeasurable. It’s in cancer committees, tumor boards, and clinics. You’ll see it in a survivorship event or a brochure for screening. The impact continues, and we’re grateful to our MCCAN sites for their contributions.

Timothy Wm. Mullett, MD, MBA, FACS MCCAN Medical Director	Cheri Tolle, MAEd, CHES MCCAN Administrative Director

ANNUAL REPORT ARTICLES

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• Building Excellence
• Delivering Better Care to Cancer Patients
• From Data to Diagnosis
• Lessons from the Lockdown

Building Excellence

Improving Care Through Education

For patients facing a cancer diagnosis, access to the most knowledgeable providers can make all the difference in the world. Yet for already overstretched professionals, staying current with rapid advancements in oncology care is challenging. That’s why the Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network (MCCAN) has built its mission on a fundamental principle: quality education isn’t a luxury — it’s the foundation of exceptional cancer care.

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Delivering Better Care For Cancer Patients

When a patient with cancer is admitted to the hospital — whether for a complication from their disease or an unrelated condition — they often require specialists to manage their complex care. Today, hospitalists are increasingly encountering these patients in the inpatient setting and facing unique challenges: staying current with rapidly evolving cancer therapies, understanding clinical trials in which patients may be participating and coordinating when resources and immediate access to specialists may be limited, particularly in smaller hospitals.

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From Data to Diagnosis

AI's Growing Role in Bridging Kentucky's Cancer Care Gaps

Pediatric emergency medicine physician Tama Thé, MD, brings a rare combination to healthcare’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution. The assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Kentucky and AI research fellow with the NBME, a self-described “tech nerd,” chose a career in medicine so that he could apply his love of math and physics to saving lives. Now, he’s working on projects that combine medicine, clinical informatics and artificial intelligence to completely transform care.

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Lessons from the Lockdown

The Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Care

Like so many others during that first year, the urologist at Taylor Regional Hospital in Campbellsville, KY, experienced the pandemic’s toll firsthand — the fear of illness, the strain on healthcare systems, the isolation that defined the era. But his dual role as both a grieving son and a healthcare provider offered him a unique vantage point. He could see how families were struggling with needs that extended far beyond the medical ones.

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Building Excellence

Improving Care Through Education

For patients facing a cancer diagnosis, access to the most knowledgeable providers can make all the difference in the world. Yet for already overstretched professionals, staying current with rapid advancements in oncology care is challenging. That’s why the Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network (MCCAN) has built its mission on a fundamental principle: quality education isn’t a luxury — it’s the foundation of exceptional cancer care.

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BY THE
NUMBERS

ABOUT MCCAN

The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network (MCCAN) is a collaboration between community hospitals and the Markey Cancer Center, Kentucky’s only comprehensive cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute.

MCCAN assists doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical staff at local hospitals who provide excellent care in their communities. When patients need care that is not available locally, they can be referred to the Markey Cancer Center in Lexington. When that happens, Markey doctors work with community doctors and oncologists to minimize travel for patients and their families.

Mission: To enhance access to high-quality cancer services and programs through collaboration with community hospitals.

Vision: For all in the Commonwealth and surrounding areas to have access to high-quality cancer care.

Programs and Services:

• Network Support
• Professional Education and Training
• Quality Assurance and Improvement
• Community Outreach, Education, and Screening
• Marketing and Public Relations