Six cancer centers have received the Association of Cancer Care Centers’ 2026 Innovator Awards, which recognize cancer programs for new approaches to improving access, quality and value in cancer care.
The 2026 ACCC Innovator Award recipients are:
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center (Baton Rouge, La.): The cancer center launched the region’s first fully outpatient CAR T-cell therapy program for select blood cancers, allowing patients, including those in rural areas, to receive treatment closer to home without an inpatient stay.
St. Luke’s Cancer Institute (Boise, Idaho): St. Luke’s created a clinical documentation nurse role within its revenue cycle team to review medical necessity for complex oncology therapies. The change cut authorization turnaround time by more than 50%, reduced provider clarification requests by more than 60% and prevented nearly $100,000 in avoidable write-offs.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston): MD Anderson embedded health information specialists in its call center to resolve insurance and financial barriers before a patient’s first visit. The pre-intake navigation program served more than 33,000 prospective patients.
UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (Chapel Hill, N.C.): UNC Lineberger developed a pharmacist-led model for oncolytic virus treatments in advanced melanoma, shifting pretreatment reviews and dose planning to virtual visits. The approach cut more than two hours from each treatment session and reduced clinic visits and drug waste.
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (Nashville, Tenn.): Vanderbilt-Ingram opened an outpatient clinic, led by advanced practice providers, to start patients on bispecific antibody therapies outside the hospital. The clinic avoided 137 of 192 recommended inpatient monitoring days.
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University (Atlanta): Winship funded community partners to hire local staff for cancer prevention work across rural Georgia. Starting in 2022, the program supported three regional cancer coalitions covering 101 counties and delivered more than 1 million interventions, including tobacco cessation, HPV vaccination, screening navigation and survivorship support.
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