Clinical Trials Awareness Campaign

Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina

hcc.musc.edu

• Part of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC

• Officially became a cancer center in 1993

• Obtained NCI designation in 2009; only NCI center in the state

• Would be a great site for future NACCDO PAN meeting!

• Welcome Allison Leggett, director of strategic communications at HCC

hcc.musc.edu

A Bit About Hollings

• Inspiration: amazing things witnessed at OSUCC in 2010

• Stated goal: increase accrual to therapeutic trials from 10.5% to 15% by spring 2015

• Behind the scenes: needed a significant culture change

• Public facing campaign to motivate inside and raise awareness outside/compel the conversation

• Launched in spring 2011

hcc.musc.edu

The Roots

The Basics

• Involve patients to empower them and inspire medical teams/all ct participants at HCC

• Find a theme and use a great photographer/people doing something they love

• Tagline: The Next Breakthrough Could Be Yours applies to everyone

• Call to action: Ask About Clinical Trials

• Remember diversity as often as you can (ethnic, gender, age)

• Must have top-level institutional support; matrix center directors can’t do it alone

• Help your CTO help physicians/a lot of work

• Assess for physician comfort and attitude

• Must have physician champions in each area/CT leaders roadshow

• Prepare frontline staff (scripts; buttons and handouts)

hcc.musc.edu

Getting Ready

• 7-foot tall banners in public spaces

• posters in all exam rooms and hallways

• thermometer signs in non-public spaces tracking enrollment by disease

The Visuals

The Visuals

• Big spike in accrual during 1st quarter of campaign; peaks and valleys over time

• One year after launch, accrual was up by 4%

• Current accruals at 14.3%; closing in on 15%

• Costs: about $1,400 per patient (photography, banners and posters); outside vendors

• Patients are altruistic and proud to participate; many volunteers

hcc.musc.edu

Lessons Learned: What Worked

• Patient “stars” pass away – what to do/Phase I patients – consider carefully

• Honoring diversity while covering all cancer types is challenging

• Enthusiasm flags – physician leaders must continue to motivate

• Change culture by recruiting physicians inclined to enroll patients on to trials

• Complement with video if you can

hcc.musc.edu

Lessons Learned: Tougher Take-aways