OUTREACH: Reaching Out and Touching
Lives Beyond Our Walls
Research nurse Arlita Pang reaches out to patient Abdullah
Al-Bassam and his sister, Nidal, of Kuwait.
With a vision of extending its expertise, access and compassion beyond the Texas Medical
Center, M. D. Anderson touches thousands of lives each year by reaching out.
Reaching out with a committed handshake.
A signature inking a new managed care contract.
A playful tug on a museum display.
A reassuring clasp of a patient's nervous hand.
And a pat on the back for a job well done.
Looking back, the past fiscal year signaled a renewed strength and commitment among M.
D. Anderson faculty, staff and volunteers to partner with others in local and national
communities.
The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Outreach Corporation and Physicians Network took
strides to expand and service facilities and physician practices bearing the M. D.
Anderson name.
In August, Hendrick Health System broke West Texas ground for its expansion of Hendrick
Cancer Center, an affiliate facility of M. D. Anderson's Outreach Corporation. Hendrick
also added two medical oncologists to its staff to complete the oncology leadership team
in Abilene. Two radiation oncologists already were on staff at Hendrick.
Growing a network of four affiliate institutions in Texas and Florida and 51 affiliated
physicians nationwide brought an increased need to ensure delivery of quality cancer care,
ease of access and the sharing of valuable expertise.
M. D. Anderson's Office of Affiliate Services, a central information and referral
funnel, was established to respond to patient care and business questions from affiliates.
Collaborative care pathways and practice guidelines - information tools which are the crux
of the M. D. Anderson brand of quality cancer care - also were expanded and made more
accessible to partners.
Managed care contracts continued to be a major focus of partnership efforts with 13 new
full-service managed care contracts inked during the year, five of which included bone
marrow transplantation services. This procedure typically has not been covered in the
past, thus these contracts set new standards for treatments recently perceived to be
experimental.
M. D. Anderson also reached out with an array of volunteer, public education and
community outreach programs.
For the first time, M. D. Anderson assisted with bringing an exhibit to the Museum of
Health & Medical Science. The interactive and mesmerizing "X is for X-Ray"
exhibit attracted more than 60,000 visitors to the museum during the summer.
The Communications Office handled a record 2,662 contacts with members of the news
media, coordinating interviews and information about cancer for print and broadcast media.
The Under Cover Skin Cancer Prevention Program expanded its reach to Abilene with the
affiliation of Hendrick Cancer Center. Taking daily UV (ultraviolet) meter readings and
disseminating them with appropriate skin cancer prevention messages, the Under Cover
program now operates in five Texas cities with more than 40 media partners.
The Public Education Office, which oversees the Under Cover program, also reached out to
more than 100,000 lives with its speakers bureau, tour program, health fair presence and
calls to the Cancer Information Service.
More than 26,000 callers contacted The M. D. Anderson Infor- mation Line, a central
information and referral source for patients and referring physicians interested in
services, treatments and programs available at the cancer center.
The Anderson Network hosted more than 22,000 visitors to the Hospitality Room, supported
1,196 members, informed more than 2,000 patients through the annual conference and weekly
educational programs, and provided 2,700 patient-to-patient links across the country.
Also serving patients and their families were volunteers who gave more than 190,000
hours of on-site service assisting nursing staffs in clinics, guiding the Jolly Trolley
coffee cart, distributing handicraft kits, working with scientists in laboratories,
escorting patients and offering directions at the concierge desk. More than 850 new
volunteers came on board during the year.
Volunteers contributed 378,741 off-site hours to the Children's Art Project, an effort
that yielded a record $891,000 in proceeds from the sale of holiday cards and assorted
gift items. Fifty-two college scholarships were distributed among funds directed to
patient-oriented programs for children and adults.
Bouquets and accolades are extended regularly to faculty and staff for research and
clinical work, but it is more rare that entire departments or programs are recognized for
outreach efforts.
The Urban Turban, which gives patients a stylish alternative to wigs, was awarded the
1997 Extraordinary Program Award by the American Society of Directors of Volunteer
Services. The Urban Turban was developed by volunteer Linda Hofheinz.
A skin cancer prevention video for fourth and fifth-grade students - "Project
S.A.F.E.T.Y. (Sun Awareness for Educating Today's Youth) for Elementary Schools: Killer
Tans" - won a silver award from the 1996 Houston International Film Festival's
WorldFest Houston. It also was named one of seven finalists in the American Medical
Association's 1996 International Health and Medical Film competition.
For the second time in five years, the Office of Public Affairs received the Premier
Performance Award presented by the Association of American Medical Colleges. M. D.
Anderson, which also received the award in 1992, is one of only three institutions in the
nation to receive the prize twice.
The coveted honor recognizes publications, media relations, public education, community
outreach and other work done by the Public Affairs staff during 1996.
