The collaboration offers healthcare providers a proactive solution for mental and physical health support

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 11, 2022 — The Cancer Support Community (CSC) and Carevive are partnering to provide an innovative nursing and social work team-based care delivery model to health systems across the U.S. Using best-in-class technologies, they will monitor and manage the physical and psychosocial distress of patients and caregivers impacted by a cancer diagnosis in collaboration with cancer care teams. Built on the proven success of both CSC’s CancerSupportSource® (CSS) distress screening tool and Carevive’s PROmpt cancer care management® program, this partnership offers an effective proactive approach to cancer care navigation.

Data analytics captured from Carevive and CSC technologies will provide direction for system-level quality improvement efforts needed to meet quality standards, participate in value-based care, and support cancer center grant/research efforts. Additionally, the program aims to reduce hospitalizations by a minimum of 8% among participating cancer centers, which was the outcome demonstrated in large randomized clinical trials.

CancerSupportSource® is a web-based distress screening, referral, and support program for adults diagnosed with cancer used by CSC’s Helpline, network, and healthcare partners across the country. It rapidly identifies and responds to unmet mental health needs through our evidence-based program, which better enables patients and caregivers to navigate care and treatment, practice self-care, and enhance well-being.

PROmpt cancer care management® is a cancer care management technology used for treatment and survivorship care planning, and symptom monitoring and management used to improve the treatment experience of patients with cancer and improve survival outcomes, while lowering costs.

“This model is the culmination of CSC’s and Carevive’s combined 50 years of expertise in providing emotional support and healthcare services, respectively, for people impacted by cancer,” said CSC’s Chief Experience Officer Sally Werner, RN, BSN, MSHA. “At its core, it makes it easier for patients to stay connected to their real-life cancer care team throughout their treatment. As a nurse, I can’t emphasize enough that our model is remarkable because it keeps the human connection central to its design.”

CSC and Carevive are uniquely positioned to bring this care delivery model to market. For over 40 years, CSC has provided professionally led psychosocial services for patients and caregivers online and through a toll-free Helpline, and at 190 network and healthcare partner locations across the US and beyond. Carevive is NCI-funded, known for the scientifically rigorous clinical oncology content and implementation, with over sixty scientific presentations demonstrating the positive impact of cancer care planning and remote symptom monitoring on cancer patient outcomes. Carevive has licensed cancer care management technology to over 50 cancer centers across the U.S. over the past decade.

“We are beyond excited to partner with the Cancer Support Community. This initiative was developed in response to our cancer center partners’ interest in offering innovative care delivery models and programming that creates mutually beneficial, value-based partnerships with payers and employers, and supports all stakeholders’ passion to offer care that is equitable for all, and addresses patients’ needs more holistically during cancer treatment – both the clinical and mental well-being of patients and their support systems, to improve outcomes and lower costs,” said Madelyn Trupkin Herzfeld, RN, BSN, Carevive’s Founder and Vice Chairman. “This model is intended to bolster support to the existing care team in their efforts to deliver the best quality care, without the introduction of new care partners unaffiliated with the existing care team that can fragment the system, create service redundancies, and be a source of confusion for patients and caregivers during the most difficult times in their lives.”

The proactive and innovative model addresses numerous shortfalls in current cancer care delivery and keeps a real-life cancer care team engaged with patients while at home. Our model allows patients to be screened first in a clinic setting and then through a web-based screener at home, helping healthcare providers get ahead of potentially detrimental and costly problems.

The envisioned nursing and social work team-based care delivery model will be tested at numerous designated pilot centers across the United States in 2023. Applications will be distributed in mid-August to CSC’s cancer center affiliates and Carevive’s clinical partners and submitted through an RFP process. Participating centers will include representation from large academic to small community-based cancer programs with the goal of demonstrating improved clinical and mental health outcomes, and cost savings generated by reducing avoidable health care services such as ED visits and hospitalizations.

To learn more about this partnership please contact Sally Werner at swerner@cancersupportcommunity.org or Madelyn Trupkin Herzfeld at maddy@carevive.com.

About the Cancer Support Community

As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community (CSC), including its Gilda’s Club network partners, is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. CSC achieves its mission through three areas: direct service delivery, research, and advocacy. The organization’s Institute for Excellence in Psychosocial Care includes an international network that offers the highest quality social and emotional support for people impacted by cancer, as well as a community of support available online and over the phone. The Research and Training Institute conducts cutting-edge psychosocial, behavioral, and survivorship research. CSC furthers its focus on patient advocacy through its Cancer Policy Institute, informing public policy in Washington, D.C. and across the nation. For more information, please call the toll-free Cancer Support Helpline at CSC-867-5309 or visit www.CancerSupportCommunity.org.

About Carevive

Carevive Systems, Inc. founded in 2013, is an oncology-focused health technology company centered on understanding and improving the experience of patients with cancer. Our platform enables clinicians to monitor and manage their patients remotely, which improves clinical outcomes and patient quality of life. Use of Carevive in the clinic unlocks critical data on the real-world experience of patients with cancer, to continuously improve care processes and outcomes, and advance cancer drug development. For more information, please visit www.carevive.com or follow us  @carevive.

The Cancer Support Community Applauds the Appointment of Dr. Monica Bertagnolli to Director of the National Cancer Institute

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 10, 2022 — The Cancer Support Community (CSC) enthusiastically supports President Biden’s selection of Monica Bertagnolli, MD to the position of director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Bertagnolli, who is the first woman to serve in this role, was appointed this morning.

Bertagnolli is a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and serves as chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She brings exceptional clinical experience to the NCI, in addition to health policy and clinical trial expertise.

“When Dr. Bertagnolli served as president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, she chose ‘Caring for every patient, learning from every patient’ as her presidential theme,” said Debbie Weir, CEO of the Cancer Support Community. “We firmly believe that patient experience is integral to cancer research and care. We applaud Dr. Bertagnolli’s recognition of the unique and essential role patients play in advancing research and science that helps all people live longer, healthier lives.”   

CSC believes both the Cancer Moonshot initiative and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) will benefit from the breadth and depth of Dr. Bertagnolli’s experience and looks forward to the accomplishments that will be achieved under her leadership.  

CSC anticipates fruitful collaboration with Dr. Bertagnolli and the NCI moving forward, ushering in an exciting period of cancer research.

About the Cancer Support Community

As the largest professionally led nonprofit network of cancer support worldwide, the Cancer Support Community (CSC), including its Gilda’s Club network partners, is dedicated to ensuring that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community. CSC achieves its mission through three areas: direct service delivery, research, and advocacy. The organization’s Institute for Excellence in Psychosocial Care includes an international network that offers the highest quality social and emotional support for people impacted by cancer, as well as a community of support available online and over the phone. The Research and Training Institute conducts cutting-edge psychosocial, behavioral, and survivorship research. CSC furthers its focus on patient advocacy through its Cancer Policy Institute, informing public policy in Washington, D.C. and across the nation.