CTO Medical Directors Forum

In early 2020, clinical trials office (CTO) medical directors from the AACI CRI Steering Committee created a survey to gather information about the role of the CTO medical director at the cancer centers. In August 2020, after reviewing the survey results, the medical directors found more than half of the survey responders stated they did not have a job description or defined criteria for hiring a new CTO medical director. The medical directors decided to create a job description to aid cancer center leadership when hiring a new CTO medical director or for evaluation of the current medical director. Additionally, the group launched a CTO medical directors listserv to discuss common challenges and solutions. To subscribe to the CTO Medical Director Listserv, you must be a CTO medical director at an AACI cancer center. Please contact AACI Program Manager Kendra Cameron to join the listserv and learn about upcoming virtual roundtable meetings.

The CTO medical directors began hosting roundtable meetings with other CTO medical directors in November 2020.  After receiving an enthusiastic response, the CTO medical directors decided to host quarterly virtual roundtable meetings for CTO medical directors to share best practices, discuss ongoing challenges, and—most importantly—mentor new directors. 

CTO Medical Directors Forum Steering Committee

• Theresa L. Werner, MD, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah
• Tara L. Lin, MD, The University of Kansas Cancer Center 
• Thomas J. George, Jr., MD, FACP, University of Florida Health Cancer Center 
• Stefan C. Grant, MD, JD, MBA, Louisiana Cancer Research Center

Past virtual roundtable topics have included the role of the CTO medical director; trial activation, budget, and contract negotiations; managing confidentiality disclosure agreements; site selction and expectations; minority accrual and new Cancer Center Support Grant Community Outreach and Engagement guidelines; and more.

Read the November 2020 Commentary

AACI CRI Education and Operations Subcommittee

The purpose and goals of the AACI CRI Education and Operations Subcommittee are to:

• Address challenges with monitoring staff productivity
• Establish effort metrics for staff working remotely 
• Assure timely and accurate data collection 
• Reopen trials 
• Conduct trial audits
• Assess training and onboarding of staff to the CTO

The subcommittee compiled a list of competencies and created a standardized training module to help fill gaps for oncology research staff. The first two topics chosen were good documentation practices with the ALCOA+ principles and protocol deviations. The subcommittee members were divided into groups that developed customizable competency templates on their respective topics. Cancer centers can use them to assess the understanding of these two topics at their respective centers when onboarding and training staff. Please contact Programs Manager Kendra Cameron to request these templates in PowerPoint (.PPT) format.

AACI CRI Standard Training Template Checklist
AACI CRI Education and Operations Subcommittee National Recommendations
Read the October 2019 AACI Commentary

Benchmarking Survey

In 2018, the CRI Steering Committee developed a benchmarking survey to learn more about cancer center clinical trials office (CTO) workload, structure, and staffing; trial activation timelines; and sources of CTO funding support. The information was collected to allow AACI members to compare their cancer center with other AACI member centers. The steering committee invited 92 member cancer cancers in the United States and two in Canada that provide clinical care to participate in the survey.  An 11-question survey was distributed in May 2018, closing in January 2019. AACI received 79 responses (86 percent response rate). The survey data were published in JCO Oncology Practice. In spring 2023, the steering committee developed and disseminated a follow-up benchmarking survey to assess CTO structure and workload since the original survey was completed. Survey responses are being collected and will be summarized in a report in fall 2023.

Read Clinical Trial Metrics: The Complexity of Conducting Clinical Trials in North American Cancer Centers