We seek NHLBI/NCI support of a Conference (Symposium-II) to be held Sept. 14-15, 2011 in Chicago, that will address hematopoietic stem cell workforce and system infrastructure issues. SCI Program and 3 Yearly Symposia: Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only known curative therapy for many patients with life-threatening hematologic diseases. More than 20,000 HSCT are performed in the United States yearly and the need for HSCT is expected to increase by 2020. The biggest challenges to HSCT growth are workforce shortages and lack of adequate infrastructure, so a critical need exists to address these issues. The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has developed a 3-year System Capacity Initiative Program (SCI) designed to evaluate HSCT workforce and system infrastructure issues in collaboration with key academic organizations, experts and stakeholders. This SCI Program will evaluate and recommend remedies to workforce and infrastructure challenges affecting HSCT use and importantly, access to care by minority and underserved patient populations. At the end of each of the three years of the SCI Program, a national Symposium will be held to address data and the recommendations that were developed. During the 3 years of the SCI Program, a Steering Committee will coordinate the activities of seven Working Groups: (1) Physician Workforce, (2) Nursing Workforce, (3) Advanced Practice Professionals Workforce, (4) Pharmacy Workforce, (5) Facilities/Care Delivery Model, (6) Financial, (7) Diversity and Health Care Disparities. Year 1 planning for the SCI Program and the first Symposium began in Fall 2009. Working groups were launched in February 2010 and held monthly conference calls from March to September. The working groups assembled in Chicago on September 15-16, 2010 for Symposium-I. This Symposium-I critically reviewed the working groups'prioritized recommendations. The NMDP internally funded Year 1 as a pilot project to gauge interest and enthusiasm for the SCI by the HSCT community. A very strong positive response led to initiating Year 2 of the SCI Series and the need for Symposium-II. Year 2 of the SCI Program and Symposium-II (the object of this grant request) will be based on outcomes of Year 1 working group efforts and recommendations from Symposium-I. We plan to investigate strategies to increase HSCT workforce recruitment and retention and improve work life balance for physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in the HSCT field. The analysis will include the role of women, racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and other individuals underrepresented in science and graduate schools. We will assess the impact of current State and Federal Legislation on the delivery of HSCT services;make available to hospital administrators data on HSCT norms for staffing and capacity across regions of the U.S;raise awareness of optimal HSCT referral guidelines;disseminate best practices for caregiver support and education for all phases of transplant;develop model transplant benefits for insurers to adopt;analyze the current status of the national Pharmacy Workforce to ensure representation by oncologic pharmacists specializing in HSCT to help meet expected group needs;and develop priorities for Facilities/ Capacity and Care Delivery Model Working Groups. SCI Year 2 will culminate, as did Year 1, in a National Symposium- Symposium Year II. Symposium-II will evaluate, prioritize and review the output of the 7 working groups and present findings to members of all of the other SCI working groups. Year 3 of the Symposium Series of the HSCT initiative will be held to review, draft, discuss, and disseminate a set of Recommendations and Guidelines. This sustained 3-year initiative will provide momentum to drive change in health care policy and will allow adequate representation of national and regional stakeholders.
Stem-cell transplantation is the only known curative therapy for many patients with life-threatening hematologic diseases. More than 20,000 transplants are performed in the US yearly and this number is expected to increase. The biggest challenges to the future growth of stem cell transplants are the lack of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals and the lack of adequate system infrastructure including insurance coverage, hospital beds and patient support programs at the local, state and federal level. The NMDP has developed a 3 year System Capacity Initiative Program that will bring together working groups that have been investigating strategies to address these issues. At the end of each of the three years, there will be a national Symposium to summarize and prioritize the needed initiatives and put forth guidelines to change the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, and services that drive the field of stem cell transplantation for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. The Symposium will also identify new areas for health services research. This request for funding is to support the Symposium at the end of Year 2 of the SCI Program.
| Denzen, Ellen M; Majhail, Navneet S; Stickney Ferguson, Stacy et al. (2013) Hematopoietic cell transplantation in 2020: summary of year 2 recommendations of the National Marrow Donor Program's System Capacity Initiative. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 19:4-11 |
