Timely Access in Oncology: Lessons from Cancer Care

Timely Access in Oncology: Lessons from Cancer Care

From PAC's All Access Pass Podcast by Elizabeth Woodcock

October 20, 2025 · 36 min · Season 1 · Episode 35

About this episode

This episode discusses how leading cancer programs are redefining timely access in oncology care.

Behind every oncology referral is a patient—and a family—waiting, hoping, and depending on the system to move fast. In this episode, host Dr. Elizabeth Woodcock, Executive Director of the Patient Access Collaborative, is joined by three oncology access leaders: Kristen Thatcher of The James at Ohio State University, Jennifer Kennedy-Stovall of Duke Cancer Institute, and Kate Healy-Levine of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Together, they explore how leading cancer programs are redefining timely access—balancing urgency with empathy, operational efficiency with equity, and data with culture. Tune in to hear how these systems are tackling workforce constraints, leveraging APPs, and redesigning scheduling models to ensure that every patient receives the right care, at the right time. Topics include culture and urgency in access, diagnostic and APP models, template standardization, financial navigation, and equity in oncology care.

People in this episode

Host: Elizabeth Woodcock

Guests: Kristen Thatcher, Jennifer Kennedy-Stovall, Kate Healy-Levine

Topics covered

  • timely access in oncology
  • patient care
  • operational efficiency
  • equity in healthcare
  • workforce constraints
  • scheduling models

Keywords

  • oncology
  • patient access
  • cancer care
  • APP models
  • scheduling
  • equity
  • diagnostic models

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The James at Ohio State University, Duke Cancer Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

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