Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    Thompson Cancer Survival Center ("TCSC") provides a range of cancer support services with the aim of providing patients who are undergoing cancer treatment the best possible outcome for their individual situations. Support services include social services, treatment care coordination and oncology clinical trials. Covenant Health facilities identify and refer patients to the TCSC Social Services Department. In 2020, there were 1,701 new patient referrals to Social Services and 4,290 follow-up patients. Included in the Social Services Department is a nutritional counseling and education program and a Genetics Clinic. The nutritional counseling and education program had 617 new patient referrals and 1,420 other patients in 2020. In 2020, the Genetics Clinic received referrals for 523 new patients in need of genetic counseling. Of these patients, 402 completed genetic counseling, and 313 elected to pursue genetic testing. All patients received full personal and family history reviews allowing for a thorough risk assessment for the potential of a hereditary cancer syndrome or other familial risk factors possibly not accounted for through genetic testing. The patients received education and counseling regarding their pursuit of genetic testing. When appropriate, patients were provided with information on support resources for individuals in similar circumstances. Finally, all patients received recommendations for risk reduction strategies personalized for their individual health history, family history, and genetic test results when available. A goal of TCSC is to provide treatment care coordination of each patient. This goal is achieved by two means, the Multidisciplinary Treatment program and the Nurse Navigator program. Multidisciplinary treatment is a process of individual patient consultation with the members of that patient's oncology care team, where treatment options are discussed based on that individual's circumstances. This approach gives the physician the opportunity to relate one-on-one with the oncology patient and explain treatment choices in layman's language. Patients in need of this support come from various Covenant Health facilities and other facilities. In 2020, the program added two navigators to expand service locations. The TCSC Nurse Navigator program was developed to help oncology patients overcome multiple barriers to healthcare, according to their needs. Common barriers include financial, education, transportation, language, emotional, and a complicated health care system in general. The TCSC Nurse Navigators guide patients to sources of financial support, help complete paperwork, educate patients on diagnoses and medical procedures, arrange and coordinate appointments with multiple providers, help with transportation, assist with housing, communicate with providers about unique patient needs, ensure medical records arrive at scheduled appointments, direct patients to support groups or counseling services, and attend patient appointments for support. Nurse Navigators work diligently to meet the needs of patients and families and become their liaison between all physicians and services. There were 21,985 oncology patient education encounters in 2020, and 1,328 patients were assisted with their treatment by TCSC Nurse Navigators. For those patients being followed by navigators that have curative treatment, over 160 Survivorship Care Plans were completed by Nurse Navigators and discussed with patients in 2020. The Nurse Navigator is actively involved in the multidisciplinary treatment of patients. Nurse Navigators currently schedule, organize, oversee, summarize, and provide follow-up for 4 to 5 multidisciplinary cancer conferences per week. In 2020, 1,014 patients were presented at multidisciplinary conferences, with 126 of those patients being seen in our clinics where a Nurse Navigator is in attendance. Only three conferences were missed due to COVID; TCSC immediately transitioned to a virtual format. A new Rectal Conference was organized in 2020, and work was begun towards a new accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer. TCSC Nurse Navigators also lead the Low Dose CT Lung Screening Program (LDCT) for Fort Sanders Regional and Fort Sanders West, a program which began in 2016. There were 573 patients scheduled for LDCT screening in 2020. Twenty-three patients were found to have an abnormal/suspicious result. The program transferred to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center in November 2020.Oncology clinical trials offer patients diagnosed with cancer access to proven standard cancer treatments and to newly developed cutting edge therapies. Since the opening of TCSC in 1988, the Clinical Trials Department has enrolled 2,688 patients in oncology clinical trials. The TCSC Clinical Trials Department currently has 15 active treatment patients and 170 patients in follow-up studies. In 2020, the TCSC Clinical Trials Department enrolled 6 patients in oncology clinical trials despite being in the middle of a pandemic. In May 2020, TCSC joined the COVID-19 Cancer Consortium and enrolled 55 patients to date. The oncology research staff opened the Convalescent Plasma trial through Mayo Clinic in May 2020 and enrolled 250 patients, allowing those patients to receive lifesaving plasma as part of their therapy for COVID-19. To help with screening efforts, Research Nurse Coordinators are assigned to specific physician schedules for screening and to specific locations for coverage, including Thompson Oncology Group's Oak Ridge, Sevierville, West Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville, and Lenoir City. Opening new studies increases referrals locally and regionally and gives current patients the ability to be treated with state-of-the-art care in their own community. Involvement in prevention and treatment trials offers an improved means of health strategies for individuals at risk for certain cancers.Other TCSC programs in place to support Covenant Health system patients undergoing cancer treatment include the East Tennessee Cancer Registry, the Fellowship Center, and Cancer Outreach Services.COVENANT HEALTHTCSC is a member of Covenant Health. Covenant Health is a comprehensive, community-owned health system dedicated to improving the health of the people it serves. Established in 1996 by the consolidation of Fort Sanders Health System, Knoxville, Tennessee, and MMC HealthCare System in Oak Ridge, Covenant Health is governed by a voluntary board of directors comprised of community leaders and medical professionals. With more than 10,000 employees, affiliated physicians and volunteers, Covenant Health is the Knoxville area's largest employer and has been named a Best Employer six times by Forbes. Covenant Health includes nine acute care hospitals in East Tennessee: Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Parkwest Medical Center in Knoxville, Fort Loudoun Medical Center in Lenoir City, LeConte Medical Center in Sevierville, Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System in Morristown, Roane Medical Center in Harriman, Claiborne Medical Center in Tazewell and Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville. It also includes Peninsula, a division of Parkwest Medical Center, a behavioral health hospital in Blount County, Tennessee. The health system also includes Covenant Medical Group, which includes more than 200 physicians and advanced practice clinicians in office locations throughout East Tennessee.Affiliated organizations include TCSC, Thompson Oncology Group, Fortress Corporation and Subsidiaries, Covenant HomeCare, and Fort Sanders Perinatal Center. Philanthropic organizations include Fort Sanders Foundation and the Thompson Cancer Survival Center Foundation in Knoxville, Methodist Medical Center Foundation in Oak Ridge, Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation in Sevierville, and Morristown-Hamblen Hospital Foundation in Morristown. Funds raised by the foundations provide services, equipment and other resources for excellence in patient care.TCSC, as a member of the Covenant Health system, benefits from the collaboration among all affiliated organizations to promote quality improvement, patient safety and efficient delivery of care for the communities served.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $5.8M

  • Thompson Cancer Survival Center

    Thompson Cancer Survival Center is more than a world-class cancer center. It is a cancer survival center, where leading cancer specialists use the most advanced technologies to achieve breakthrough successes in treating many types of cancer. Our network of cancer care providers, including those in Thompson Oncology Group (our own medical oncology, hematology, and gynecologic oncology practice), are supported by a team of patient navigators, oncology pharmacists, dietitians, genetics counselors, clinical trial specialists, physicists, therapists, technologists, oncology nurses, social workers, and counselors who all work to treat and beat cancer. In addition to innovative technologies and treatment methodologies, in 2022 Covenant Health added a new proton therapy center to the treatment options at Thompson Cancer Survival Center. Patients can now receive proton therapy as part of Covenant Health's umbrella of cancer services offered through Thompson Cancer Survival Center locations throughout the region and the Covenant Cancer Network. One of only forty proton therapy facilities in the United States, Thompson Proton Center is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses beams of high-energy protons to treat various forms of cancer, while protecting nearby healthy tissue and vital organs from unnecessary radiation. The Thompson Proton Center treated 151 patients for the period from July 19 through December 31, 2022. SERVICEThompson Cancer Survival Center ("TCSC") has one program service: CANCER SUPPORT SERVICES. TCSC provides a range of cancer support services with the aim of providing patients who are undergoing cancer treatment the best possible outcome for their individual situations. Support services include cancer outreach services, treatment care coordination and oncology clinical trials.Covenant Health facilities identify and refer patients to the TCSC Social Services Department. In 2022, there were 2,916 new patient referrals to Social Services and 8,694 follow-up patients. The Social Services Department includes a nutritional counseling and education program and a Genetics Clinic. The nutritional counseling and education program had 2,956 new patient referrals in 2022 with 4,182 follow-up assessments and 3,629 education encounters to support patients. In 2022, the Genetics Clinic received referrals for 881 new patients who were in need of genetic counseling. Of these patients, 866 were scheduled, 581 completed genetic counseling, and 458 elected to pursue genetic testing. All patients were able to receive full personal and family history reviews, allowing for a thorough risk assessment for the potential of a hereditary cancer syndrome or other familial risk factors possibly not accounted for through genetic testing. The patients received education and counseling regarding their pursuit of genetic testing. When appropriate, patients were provided with information about support resources for individuals in similar circumstances. Finally, all patients received recommendations for risk reduction strategies personalized for their individual health history, family history, and genetic test results when available. A goal of TCSC is to provide treatment care coordination for each patient. This goal is achieved by two means: the Multidisciplinary Treatment program and the Nurse Navigator program.Multidisciplinary Treatment is a process of individual patient consultation with members of the patient's oncology care team, where treatment options are discussed based on that individual's circumstances. This approach gives the physician the opportunity to relate one-on-one with the oncology patient and explain treatment choices in layperson's language. Patients needing care coordination come from various Covenant Health organizations and other facilities. In 2022, the program added two navigators to expand service locations.The TCSC Nurse Navigator program was developed to help oncology patients overcome multiple barriers to healthcare, according to their needs. Common barriers include financial, education, transportation, language, emotional, and a complicated health care system in general. The TCSC Nurse Navigators guide patients to sources of financial support, help complete paperwork, educate patients on diagnoses and medical procedures, arrange and coordinate appointments with multiple providers, help with transportation, assist with housing, communicate with providers about unique patient needs, ensure medical records arrive at scheduled appointments, direct patients to support groups or counseling services, and attend patient appointments for support. Nurse Navigators work diligently to meet the needs of patients and families and become their liaisons between all physicians and services. There were 31,604 oncology patient education encounters in 2022, and 2,227 patients were assisted with their treatment by TCSC Nurse Navigators. For those patients who receive curative treatment, over 173 Survivorship Care Plans were completed by Nurse Navigators and discussed with patients in 2022.The Nurse Navigator is actively involved in the multidisciplinary care of patients. Nurse Navigators currently schedule, organize, oversee, summarize, and provide follow-up for four to five multidisciplinary cancer conferences per week. In 2022, 1,615 patients were presented at multidisciplinary conferences, with 162 of those patients being seen in our clinics where a Nurse Navigator is in attendance. TCSC continued all conferences in-person as well as via virtual format. Work continued toward a new accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer for 2022. In 2022, Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center became the first hospital in Tennessee to receive accreditation from NAPRC, affirming a commitment to providing the best possible care to patients with rectal cancer. Oncology clinical trials offer cancer patients access to proven standard cancer treatments and to newly developed cutting-edge therapies. Since the opening of TCSC in 1988, the Clinical Trials Department has enrolled 2,713 patients in oncology clinical trials. The TCSC Clinical Trials Department currently has twenty open treatment trials and one Proton Registry Trial. The department has eleven active-treatment patients and ninety-nine patients in follow-up studies. We consented 298 subjects to the Proton Registry Trial in July 2022, with 161 of those being added to the trial. In 2022, the TCSC Clinical Trials Department opened eleven oncology clinical trials and continued to increase the portfolio into 2023. Because of the excellent research reputation of Dr. Chism and the research team, Thompson continues to have new clinical trial opportunities offered to the team on a weekly basis. To help with screening efforts, Research Nurse Coordinators are assigned to specific physician schedules and to specific locations for coverage, including Thompson Oncology Groups in Oak Ridge, Sevierville, West Knoxville, Downtown Knoxville, and Lenoir City. Opening new studies increases referrals locally and regionally and gives current patients the ability to be treated with state-of-the-art care in their own community. Involvement in prevention and treatment trials offers improved health strategies for individuals at risk for certain cancers.Other TCSC programs in place to support Covenant Health patients undergoing cancer treatment include the East Tennessee Cancer Registry and Cancer Outreach Services.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2022
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $8.1M