Few patients are so inspired by their medical care that they join a community oncology foundation after recovering from cancer. That is exactly what one woman did after receiving compassionate treatment from a medical team operating the only community oncology practice in New Mexico.

New England Cancer Specialists (NECS) is focused on the future of community cancer care to ensure it remains accessible to patients for years to come. Whether it’s implementing an electronic health record to streamline patient data or advancing the latest medical technology and treatments, NECS is improving the patient experience and crafting personalized treatment plans designed to yield the best possible outcomes.

Storytelling is a powerful experience. That’s why Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York (HOACNY) offers federal policymakers the chance to experience and understand a “day in the life” of a patient with cancer. This advocacy experience – formally known as the “Sit in My Chair” program – bridges the conversation between patients with cancer and their elected representatives.

Not everyone knows the value of community oncology and what sets it apart from other care settings. That’s why Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology (FWMOH) joined CPAN. They saw the opportunity to join forces with like-minded community oncology advocates across the country and share how care teams deliver quality, affordable care to patients in need.

Genesis Cancer Center offers affordable, convenient care to thousands of patients in Central Arkansas. Experience over the last 30 years has drawn Genesis to a patient-centered care delivery model. For example, Genesis asks friendly staff to answer every incoming patient phone call instead of relying on an automated system for appointment booking and other services.

CPAN’s Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) chapter was launched in January 2014 and is an important part of our national advocacy network. FCS has nearly 100 locations across the state which dispels a common misconception that community oncology practices are limited to one location or just rural areas.

Eastern Connecticut Hematology Oncology (ECHO) joined CPAN to highlight how community oncology benefits patients. Dr. Dinesh Kapur, a medical oncologist, and hematologist know his practice helps people every day—whether it’s a new patient who’s comforted by the bond made with his care team or a patient who received help coordinating transportation so she did not miss any more appointments.

Dayton Physicians Network (DPN) provides greater Dayton, Ohio with committed, patient-centric cancer care, and offers support services for patients and their loved ones at seven practice locations throughout the Miami Valley. For more than a decade, this practice brings together comprehensive teams of multi-disciplinary oncologists, hematologists, and urologists to foster care in an ecosystem that nurtures direct communication between the physician, patient, and their support system.

Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates (CBCCA) excels as a local cancer care provider because of the strong relationships they build with patients and the high-power connections they hold with influential policymakers in Washington.

At Cancer Center of Middle Georgia (CCMG), medical oncologist and hematologist Dr. Harsha Vyas is a driving factor behind its CPAN Chapter’s success. From his experience advocating for policies that promote affordable cancer care nationally, he knows that engaging his clinical team and administrative staff in grassroots advocacy opens new doors and provides a voice for the rural cancer patients who walk through the clinic’s doors.