About the Section on Hematology Oncology

The mission of the Section on Hematology/Oncology is to promote the health and well-being of children affected by cancer and blood disorders through policy, education and advocacy for patients and their providers, with a commitment to address overt and implicit biases at the personal, systemic, and structural levels which interfere with equitable care for all children.   

As a section member, you’ll have the opportunity for:

Advocacy

Amplify the pediatric subspecialty advocacy voice on both federal and state levels regarding issues such as access to care, workforce, training, education, research, payment and other areas specifically of interest to pediatrics and pediatric hematology/oncology.

Leadership

• Develop leadership skills and assume leadership positions representing your subspecialty by:

• Serving on the SOHO Executive Committee (elected position) or one of its subcommittees on education, communications and nominations (appointed positions).
• Serving on internal Committees, Planning Groups and Editorial Boards such as PREP Hematology/Oncology Self-Assessment, AAP Grand Rounds, Pediatrics and Pediatrics in Review. Section members are considered for these opportunities.

• Serve as an AAP representative and pediatric hematology/oncology (PHO) expert to external groups.
• Serve as a PHO representative on AAP clinical practice guidelines work groups.
• Engage pediatric hematology/oncology fellows in section activities and opportunities, including one position on the SOHO Executive Committee and another on the Education Subcommittee.

Networking

• The SOHO Executive Committee has worked collaboratively on other activities with internal AAP committees, councils and sections and external organizations such as the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO), the Alliance for Childhood Cancer (ACC), the Council on Pediatric Subspecialties (CoPS) and the Sickle Cell Disease Coalition (SCDC).

Education

• Educate general pediatricians regarding hematology/oncology issues that impact practices by serving as faculty for AAP national courses and providing suggestions for educational programming content.
• Assist in the development and review of hematology/oncology related public education information.
• Participate in initiatives that support professional development and subspecialty maintenance of certification.
• Receive SOHO newsletters and articles for the pediatric hematologist/oncologist.
• Receive section emails to keep you up to date on AAP and section activities.

Policy

• Participate on a PHO Policy Workgroup to review and provide PHO expertise on draft internal and external policies.
• Provide feedback regarding external payer policies that impact PHO payment.
• Serve on a writing panel to develop policy relevant to pediatric hematology/oncology

What has the Section on Hematology/Oncology done lately?

• SOHO leadership shared their feedback on a Request for Information (RFI) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking public comments regarding challenges and best practices for coordinating care from out-of-state providers for Medicaid-eligible children with medically complex conditions.
• SOHO leadership shared feedback on draft bill, “The Children’s Program of All-Inclusive Coordinated Care Act”, which aims to amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide states an option to offer pediatric all-inclusive-coordinated-care (ChiPACC) as part of the Medicaid program. ChiPACC would provide all-inclusive care for children with life-threatening conditions from the time of diagnosis.
• SOHO members have had opportunities to participate in AAP Calls to Action in support of the Pediatric Subspecialty Loan Repayment Program and on legislation regarding J-1 Visas.
• SOHO and other AAP stakeholder groups contributed subject matter feedback to the AAP response to the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) Scientific Report.
• The AAP through its participation on the Alliance for Childhood Cancer signed on to a letter in support of the Clinical Treatment Act, a bipartisan bill to guarantee coverage of routine care costs of clinical trial participation for Medicaid enrollees with a life-threatening condition, such as cancer.
• Developing or revising the following policy documents:
  • Health Supervision for Children with Sickle Cell Disease
  • Preservation of Fertility in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients with Cancer 
  • Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Infants, Children and Adolescents (new) 
  • Long-term Follow-up Care for Pediatric Cancer Survivors 
  • Evaluation for Bleeding Disorders in Suspected Child Abuse clinical report and Evaluating for Suspected Child Abuse: Conditions That Predispose to Bleeding technical report. 
• Authored articles for the AAP News Focus on Subspecialty column and revised parent articles for the AAP HealthyChildren.org 
• Authored an article in a September 2020 AAP Voices Blog providing a perspective as a pediatric cancer survivor and pediatric hematology/oncology physician. A new parent article on words of support to parents of for parents of children and adolescents with cancer and other cancer-related articles were also highlighted.

Annual Section Dues:

Fellow $15 / Specialty Fellow $15 / Candidate Member $15 / Fellowship Trainee Member $0 /Resident Member $0 / Medical Students $0 / Senior Member $0 / National Affiliate Member $15 / Honorary Fellow $15 / Corresponding Fellow $15 / International Member $15 / Affiliate $60

Access more about the section and how to join here.

Whom do I contact:

Cynthia Wetmore, MD, PhD, FAAP
Chair, Section on Hematology/Oncology
cwetmore@exelixis.com                                 

Suzanne Kirkwood, MS
800.433.9016, extension 6648
skirkwood@aap.org