Get to Know Dr. Lori J. Pierce and Her Plans to Improve Equity in Cancer Care During Her ASCO Presidential Year
ASCO in Action PodcastShow Notes
ASCO President Lori J. Pierce, MD, FASTRO, FASCO, joins ASCO CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis in the latest ASCO in Action podcast to discuss how her childhood inspired her to become an oncologist and how the theme of her presidential year, "Equity: Every Patient. Every Day. Everywhere." is more important than ever as the country responds to a healthcare pandemic that is disproportionately impacting people of color. "Every patient, no matter who they are, deserves high-quality care and every patient has the right to equitable care," says Dr. Pierce. "We have to get to the root causes to understand the barriers that patients face if we're going to really make a difference, so it's important to me that equity be front and center of everything that we do." Subscribe to the ASCO in Action podcast through iTunes and Google Play.
Transcript
Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.
Dr. Clifford Hudis: Welcome to this ASCO in Action podcast, brought to you by the ASCO Podcast Network. This is a collection of nine programs covering a range of educational and scientific content and offering enriching insights into the world of cancer care. You can find all of the shows, including this one, at podcast.asco.org.
The ASCO in Action Podcast is ASCO's series where we explore policy and practice issues that impact oncologists, the entire cancer care delivery team, and the individuals we care for--people with cancer. My name is Dr. Clifford Hudis. And I'm the CEO of ASCO, as well as the host of the ASCO in Action Podcast series.
Today I'm really pleased to be joined by Dr. Lori J. Pierce, ASCO's president for the 2020-2021 academic year. Dr. Pierce is a practicing radiation oncologist. She is a professor and vice provost for academic and faculty affairs at the University of Michigan. And she is the director of the Michigan Radiation Oncology Quality Consortium.
Dr. Pierce, thank you so much for joining me for this podcast. My hope today is that our conversation will give our listeners a better idea of who you are, what and who has had important impact and influence over your life, and what your professional career and path as a radiation oncologist has looked like. I also hope to highlight what you hope to accomplish during your presidential year.
Dr. Lori Pierce: Thank you, Dr. Hudis. I'm glad to join you today. Before we get started, I just want to note that I have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Clifford Hudis: Now before we start to discuss the details of your presidential theme and your current role at ASCO, I think our listeners will be really interested to learn how your childhood inspired you to become a radiation oncologist. And I hasten to add ASCO staff were really excited by the stories that you shared when you gave an all staff presentation a few weeks back. So, can you talk a little bit about your childhood summers in North Carolina, how they were informative for you, and how they inspired your career?
Dr. Lori Pierce: Sure. I'm happy to. So first of all, I'm originally from Washington D.C. But my father's family, which is quite large, is from a small town in North Carolina called Ahoskie. And that's in the north eastern part of the state, maybe about 30 minutes just beyond Virginia. And I have tons of relatives. I used to love to go visit them every summer because I would get spoiled.
But that was in the south in the '60s. And in retrospect there was significant segregation there. And I again would have a great time going to visit my family. But I noticed--and it was something you noticed and you put in the back of your head
More from ASCO in Action Podcast
Retiring ASCO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard L Schilsky gives a far-reaching interview with ASCO in Action podcast host ASCO CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis, who examines Dr. Schilsky's trailblazing medical career, his leadership in ASCO and indelible mark on its research enterprise, and what he sees for the future of oncology. ASCO's first-ever Chief Medical Officer even offers some friendly advice for Dr Julie Gralow, who starts as ASCO's next CMO on February 15, 2021. In a touching tribute, Dr. Hudis also shares what Dr. Schilsky's friendship and mentorship has meant to him personally, and suggests that Rich will still be supporting ASCO on critical priorities moving forward. Don't miss this exchange with one of oncology's greats! Transcript DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.
In the latest ASCO in Action podcast, ASCO CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis shares a quick preview of what's to come for the 2020 ASCO Advocacy Summit and Week of Action, which will take place September 14-18. Typically, ASCO volunteers from across the country gather in Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies that will improve access to high-quality, equitable care for people with cancer and ensure robust funding for cancer research through in-person meetings with their Members of Congress. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 ASCO Advocacy Summit will be a virtual event, but participants can expect the same important advocacy and education opportunities that the event provides every year. All ASCO members are encouraged to participate in the Congressional Week of Action by signing up with the ACT Network (through the Advocacy Center on ASCO.org). Subscribe to the ASCO in Action podcast through iTunes and Google Play.
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis is joined by Dr. Piyush Srivastava, the past chair of ASCO's Clinical Practice Committee, in the newest ASCO in Action Podcast to discuss the recently released ASCO Special Report: A Guide to Cancer Care Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr. Srivastava was instrumental in developing the report, which provides detailed guidance to oncology practices on the immediate and short-term steps that should be taken to protect the safety of patients and healthcare staff before resuming more routine care operations during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Subscribe to the ASCO in Action podcast through iTunes and Google Play.
In the latest ASCO in Action Podcast, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis is joined by Dr. Jonathan Marron, incoming Chair of ASCO's Ethics Committee and a lead author of the new Ethics and Resource Scarcity: ASCO Recommendations for the Oncology Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
In the latest ASCO in Action Podcast, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis is joined by Dr. Ray Page, Past Chair of ASCO's Clinical Practice Committee and President of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, to discuss the benefit of drug repository programs solely for oral medications that are maintained within a closed system. These programs can play an important role in helping patients afford their treatment and can reduce the financial toll on the cancer care delivery system, provided that important guardrails are implemented to keep these programs safe. Subscribe to the ASCO in Action podcast through iTunes and Google Play.