A new organization, Together for Supportive Cancer Care, launched Monday with a mission to expand access to palliative care among cancer patients.
A charitable group, The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation, convened more than 40 member organizations, including health care providers, pharmaceutical companies, patient advocacy groups, public policy experts, employers and insurers, among others.
“For decades, leaders around our country have worked to show the promise and impact of supportive care programs for people living with cancer, their caregivers and their loved ones,” said Audrey Haberman, the foundation’s CEO, in a statement. “The launch of Together for Supportive Cancer Care builds on this work and is an important step toward creating a health care system where early and ongoing access to supportive care is not a privilege, but a fundamental part of the cancer journey for everyone.”
The term “supportive care” is often used interchangeably with “palliative care.” Both terms refer to person-centered care designed to address physical, emotional, spiritual, community, decision-making and social support. The coalition intends to work towards expanding early, equitable access to supportive care for all people with cancer, regardless of where they receive care.
Coalition members will collaborate to achieve three primary goals:
- Advocate for state and federal policies that expand access to supportive cancer care
- Promote new and existing research to demonstrate the positive impact of supportive care on outcomes, quality of life and health care costs
- Engage employers as advocates for expanding equitable access to supportive cancer care
The coalition’s members include the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Cancer Society, the Center to Advance Palliative Care, City of Hope, the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care, Geisinger, Kaiser Permanente, MD Anderson and the National Alliance for Care at Home, among many others.
“As cancer diagnoses rise in the United States, supportive cancer care is critical to improving outcomes,” said Dr. Andrew T. Leitner, chair of the Department of Supportive Care Medicine at City of Hope, in a press release. “This coalition provides a platform to advance initiatives that ensure all patients receive the comprehensive care they need, from the day of diagnosis.”
