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. 2024 Feb;20(2):239-246.
doi: 10.1200/OP.23.00501. Epub 2024 Jan 4.

Defining the Role of the Advanced Practice Provider Within the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program

Christa M Braun-Inglis  1 , Emily V Dressler  2 , Jamie S Myers  3 , Al B Benson 3rd  4 , Marie Flannery  5 , Marjorie Good  6 , Andrea Denicoff  6 , Jeffrey L Berenberg  1 , Alisha T DeTroye  7 , Bridget O'Brien  8 , Lisa Kottschade  9 , Dee Ann Omatsu  10 , Carol A Kittel  2 , Chandylen L Nightingale  2 , Melyssa Foust  11 , Glenn J Lesser  2
Affiliations

Defining the Role of the Advanced Practice Provider Within the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program

Christa M Braun-Inglis et al. JCO Oncol Pract. 2024 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Oncology advanced practice providers (APPs), including nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants, and clinical pharmacists, contribute significantly to quality cancer care. Understanding the research-related roles of APPs in the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) could lead to enhanced protocol development, trial conduct, and accrual.

Methods: The 2022 NCORP Landscape Assessment Survey asked two questions about the utilization and roles of APPs in the NCORP.

Results: A total of 271 practice groups completed the 2022 survey, with a response rate of 90%. Of the 259 nonpediatric exclusive practice groups analyzed in this study, 92% used APPs for clinical care activities and 73% used APPs for research activities. APPs most often provided clinical care for patients enrolled in trials (97%), followed by assistance with coordination (65%), presenting/explaining clinical trials (59%), screening patients (49%), ordering investigational drugs (37%), and consenting participants (24%). Some groups reported APPs as an enrolling investigator (18%) and/or participating in institutional oversight/selection of trials (15%). Only 5% of NCORP sites reported APPs as a site primary investigator for trials, and very few (3%) reported APPs participating in protocol development.

Conclusion: Practice groups report involving APPs in clinical research within the NCORP network; however, opportunities for growth exists. As team-based care has enhanced clinical practice in oncology, this same approach can be used to enhance successful research. Suggested strategies include supporting APP research-related time, recognition, and education. The findings of this survey and subsequent recommendations may be applied to all adult oncology practices that participate in clinical research.

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Conflict of interest statement

The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated unless otherwise noted. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/op/authors/author-center.

Open Payments is a public database containing information reported by companies about payments made to US-licensed physicians (Open Payments).

Emily V. Dressler

Other Relationship: ICF

Uncompensated Relationships: Society for Clinical Trials

Al B. Benson III

Consulting or Advisory Role: Merck Sharp & Dohme, Array BioPharma, Bristol Myers Squibb, Samsung Bioepis, Pfizer, HalioDx, AbbVie, Janssen Oncology, Natera, Apexigen, Artemida Pharma, Xencor, Therabionic, Mirati Therapeutics, Boston Scientific, Hutchmed, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Amgen Astellas BioPharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Novartis/Pfizer

Research Funding: Infinity Pharmaceuticals (Inst), Merck Sharp & Dohme (Inst), Taiho Pharmaceutical (Inst), Bristol Myers Squibb (Inst), Celgene (Inst), Rafael Pharmaceuticals (Inst), MedImmune (Inst), Xencor (Inst), Astellas Pharma (Inst), Amgen (Inst), SynCoreBio (Inst), Elevar Therapeutics (Inst), Tyme Inc (Inst), st pharm (Inst), ITM Solucin (Inst)

Alisha T. DeTroye

Employment: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Leadership: AAPA, APAO

Honoraria: AAPA, APAO

Consulting or Advisory Role: BCBS NC

Travel, Accommodations, Expenses: APAO, AAPA, NCAPA

Lisa Kottschade

Consulting or Advisory Role: Immunocore

Carol A. Kittel

Employment: Wake Forest School of Medicine

Glenn J. Lesser

Consulting or Advisory Role: Cancer Expert Now, IN8bio, Ono Pharmaceutical, SERVIER

Research Funding: Novocure, Oblato, Denovo Biopharma, Global Coalition for Adaptive Research, Incyte, ABM

Other Relationship: NCI

No other potential conflicts of interest were reported.

Figures

FIG 1.
FIG 1.
NCORP structure. NCORP, National Cancer Institute's Community Oncology Research Program.
FIG 2.
FIG 2.
Map of NCORP sites across the United States. NCORP, National Cancer Institute's Community Oncology Research Program.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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