Patient advocacy is interwoven in policy, shared decision making, and survivorship…and seated on patient navigation. Misinformation can poison this dynamic. As an educator and geriatric-oncology researcher, I am excited about the bold agenda of the upcoming meeting of the AACI (Association of American Cancer Institutes) in Chicago (10/20-10/22/2024). We’re working in higher education (medical schools and residency programs) to make our trainees aware of the importance of the patient’s voice in an effort to not only address misinformation related to treatments but also to develop deeper trusting patient-physician relationships that so often impacts survivorship. As educators, we’re pleased that several organizations such as the American Board of Internal Medicine, ABIM Foundation, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and ACGME are leading efforts to combat misinformation in the healthcare sector. AACI (Association of American Cancer Institutes) has stayed true to its mission of “accelerating progress against cancer by enhancing the impact of academic cancer centers and promoting cancer health equity.” Dr. Rob Winn, the President of AACI (Association of American Cancer Institutes) has launched an Excellence Initiative focused on collaborative efforts to create opportunities for research, training and education, and PATIENT NAVIGATION. The AACI (Association of American Cancer Institutes) has also raised concerns about the danger of health misinformation and the need to set standards for quality and transparency. It will hold a session on “Establishing Academic Integrity and Public Trust in the Misinformation Era,” at its upcoming meeting. We commend the AACI (Association of American Cancer Institutes)! #patientnavigation #geriatriconcology #misinformationcanbedeadly #Abimfoundationbuildingtrust
In the last two years, the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) has worked with three partners: VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation, and the Los Angeles Alliance for Community Health and Aging, to understand how patients living with cancer as a chronic disease make shared decisions about their treatment. Learn more about the outcomes of these partnerships in the October 2024 #AACICommentary, "Changing Needs for a Growing Population: Shared Decision Making for People Living With Cancer as a Chronic Disease," co-authored by PAF's Gwen Darien and Chris Wilson.