The Development and Implementation of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Programs: Teen Cancer America's Strategy.

Abstract

Reflecting a growing recognition that adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer have unique needs that demand novel approaches to care delivery, AYA-specific cancer programs are emerging across the United States to better serve this population. However, the limited availability of health system funding to support such efforts, in combination with the dearth of guidance that exists to guide AYA program development and implementation, has hampered the effective development and implementation of AYA oncology programs. In this article, we describe Teen Cancer America's strategy for partnering with hospitals to address this gap and improve care and outcomes for AYAs with cancer.