Matt Sherer, Former Director of Oncology Service Line (System-Level Role) at UMC Health System, shared on LinkedIn:
“With cancer survivorship projected to reach nearly 26 million by 2040, oncology programs face an undeniable throughput crunch.
Handing survivorship clinics to Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) is frequently greenlit as an operational pressure valve to free up medical oncology templates.
Viewing APP-led survivorship merely as a staffing patch misses both the clinical innovation and the strategic business case.
When treated as an administrative workaround, programs risk fragmented handoffs, physician hesitation, and lost patient retention.
But when designed intentionally, an APP-led model operates as a strategic clinical and financial engine:
Decompresses physician templates to capture high-acuity acute starts and shorten wait times for new consults.
Captures compliant Level 3 and 4 E/M coding for complex, proactive surveillance.
Protects downstream system revenue by retaining essential diagnostic imaging, lab monitoring, and multi-specialty intervention in-network.
Preserves clinical continuity through clear risk stratification and rapid-reconnect escalation triggers back to specialty care.
The question isn’t whether APPs can help manage rising volumes. It’s whether our service line models are built with the clarity, escalation pathways, and operational backing required for truly continuous care.
I break down the 5 operational pillars of scalable, sustainable survivorship care in the full article below.
Read the full breakdown in the link below.
Oncology leaders and clinical administrators: What metric best proves a survivorship model is actually working in your health system?”
APP-Led Survivorship Is More Than a Staffing Solution
To which Nicole Stout, Senior Director Survivorship and Wellness at American Cancer Society, added:
“Optimize access for patients and get clinicians working at the top of their license.
APP-led survivorship!
More of this please!”
Other articles about Advanced Practice Providers on OncoDaily.