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Compassion fatigue and burnout were common among oncology navigators even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a thoughtful look at compassion fatigue, burnout, and the resiliency skills navigators should embrace.

Oncology navigators rely on metrics to demonstrate the value of their role. According to JoAnn Lovins, MS, RN, NEA-BC, performance—characterized by measures such as employee engagement, finance, volume growth, quality, and patient engagement—has recently emerged as a key metric in demonstrating the value of navigation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant barriers to care, which can lead to increased mortality rates for thousands of patients with cancer. Nurses and nurse navigators are focused on using their skills and experience to combat this trend. Ongoing efforts include educating patients on the importance of undergoing cancer screenings, utilizing telehealth services to enhance communication with patients, addressing staffing shortages, and taking the necessary steps for preparing for potential spikes in COVID-19 cases.

Community oncology practices say they are recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and keeping their eye on the goal of value-based care. The strategies they are using to accomplish these initiatives include innovation, long-term integration of telehealth, and the leveraging of advanced practice professionals.

It is a Herculean effort to develop a novel vaccine on an unprecedented timeline. Experts discuss the latest research regarding the development of vaccine candidates for the COVID-19 virus and some of the issues that will need to be addressed when a successful candidate has been identified, including clinical trial enrollment, manufacturing, and distribution.

Can the use of telehealth services help to address the upcoming burden of late cancer diagnoses, improve the co-management of chronic conditions, and give patients more power over their own health? During a recent AVBCC webinar, a panel of experts explored this question as they discussed the potential role of wearables, remote monitoring and communication, and other innovative technology for improving care for patients with cancer.

From the management of extended payment terms and performance-based agreements, to the potential impact of the proposed 2021 Medicare rules and the impending shortages of immune globulin, wholesale suppliers discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the oncology supply chain, what is being done to help practices, and what challenges lie ahead.

Although several of the financial indicators in oncology have recovered to pre-pandemic levels following dramatic declines that occurred earlier in the year, there are still significant challenges ahead. How will providers manage the backlog? What will happen to patients’ insurance coverage? How will oncology practices survive and thrive in a post–COVID-19 world?

Telehealth reimbursement. 340B. Drug pricing negotiations. There’s been a lot of action on healthcare-related proposals in Washington in recent weeks. What’s likely to last, and what is just “political theater”? AVBCC’s panel of experts has the inside scoop.