CMSS Grant Supports Development of Best Practices for Guidelines in the Communication of New Cancer Diagnoses

ASCP has received a $100,000 grant from the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) to fund an initiative titled, Promoting Diagnostic Excellence by Improving the Communication of New Cancer Diagnoses. The Society is one of 11 member-specialty societies to receive a $100,000 grant from CMSS.

The CMSS grants are funding an array of projects to support the development and dissemination of resources and programs to improve the timeliness, accuracy, safety efficiency, patient-centeredness, and equity of diagnostic outcomes for patients in the United States. The awards include several projects that focus on three categories of conditions that are known to cause a disproportionate share of preventable harm from suboptimal diagnosis, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infection.

“ASCP is pleased to receive this CMSS award, which will help us to review current guidelines regarding the notification of patients of a cancer diagnosis and to develop a set of best practices to make sure these results are communicated in an effective, consistent, and timely manner,” says Sachin Gupta, PhD, MBA, MLS(ASCPⁱ)MB, LSSBB, CPHQ, Scientific Director of the ASCP Center for Quality and Patient Safety.

Under the 21st Century Cures Act, patients are able to obtain their test results immediately after they become available in their electronic medical records. “Health systems and providers need to be prepared to respond in a uniform manner that adheres to best practices in order to provide quality patient care,” Dr. Gupta says. 

The CMSS awards are the result of a competitive grant program administered by CMSS and funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for medical specialty societies to support the development of resources and programs to promote diagnostic excellence for clinicians and patients.

Medical specialty societies are well positioned to educate and disseminate effective strategies that advance diagnostic excellence among their members through educational programs, including accredited CME, peer-reviewed journals, clinical guidelines, research, and clinical registries.

CMSS will serve as a coordinating center to monitor and promote cross-specialty learning, improvement, collaboration, and identification of best practices in diagnostic excellence that can be shared with the broader medical community.

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