Cancer Genetics SIG
Membership Communiqué
July 2014
Dear SIG Members,
Our latest edition of the CAG SIG Newsletter, edited by Patricia Kelly, DNP, APRN, CNS, AOCN was
posted to the SIG Virtual Community in early June. It is an exceptionally good edition with some very
important and pertinent articles and features that should not be overlooked. You can use the following
link to directly access the newsletter:
http://onsopcontent.ons.org/Publications/SIGNewsletters/cg/cg18.1.html
There are also some important announcements that I wanted to share through this communiqué
format.
June 2014 Newsletter Features
CIGNA Insurance Company Genetic Testing Ruling
In this recent edition there are two articles of importance to SIG members actively engaged in
Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetic Testing programs. These articles relate to a ruling last
year from CIGNA Insurance company defining which professionals are considered appropriate to provide
cancer risk assessment and genetic counseling relative to inherited cancer susceptibility. One article
describes the experience of one of our SIG members, Cathy Goetsch, MSN, ARNP, AOCNP and how she
responded to this situation in her clinical practice. The other article outlines the actions taken by our
then SIG Coordinator, Jackie Hale, APN, AOCN, APNG and the Oncology Nursing Society which resulted
in a revision to the CIGNA policy. I wanted to make sure that all of our membership was aware of this
policy change and the process for applying to CIGNA for listing as a genetic provider. The following link
will take you to the CIGNA cancer genetics testing policy:
https://cignaforhcp.cigna.com/public/content/pdf/coveragePolicies/medical/mm_0001_coveragepositi
oncriteria_genetic_testing_for_breast_and_ovarian_cancer.pdf Additional information for how to apply
to CIGNA is found in the newsletter article.
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) developing Genetics Credentialing Process
Featured in a communiqué from November 2013, it was announced that the Genetic Nurses
Credentialing Center was going to transition responsibility for developing, awarding and maintaining
Nursing Genetics credentialing to the ANCC at the end of December 2013. In the June newsletter a short
article featured a call for nurses to participate in ANCCs process for the development of two new
specialty certifications in genetics – Generalist and Advanced Practice levels. This is an exciting
opportunity for oncology nurses practicing in the area of cancer genetics, cancer risk assessment,
inherited cancer syndromes or genomic medicine to engage in defining the scope and content of these
certifications. Applications are currently being sought for nurses to participate as “Portfolio Reviewers”.
The application process can be found on the ANCC website
http://www.nursecredentialing.org/PortfolioCEP-Application.aspx
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Educational Opportunities for Cancer Genetic Nurses
I wanted to share information regarding two outstanding educational opportunities for oncology nurses
interested in expanding their knowledge base and clinical skills in the area of Hereditary Cancer Risk
Assessment.
The City of Hope: Intensive Cancer Risk Assessment Course
The City of Hope in Duarte, CA has an outstanding track record for providing education and training in
the field of cancer genetics and inherited cancer risk assessment through their grant funded educational
program called the Intensive Cancer Risk Assessment Course. Applications are now open to attend this
program and with additional funding they have been able to expand the types of offerings that
applicants can select, including web based exclusively or their traditional course model of web-based
and on-site training. Please see the information outlined below and consider seeking enrollment in this
excellent educational opportunity.
2015 Intensive Course application is now live at http://www.cityofhope.org/ccg-intensive-coursedescription. New funding has allowed us to update the curriculum and include distance-only options:
A. Track 1: Full Spectrum Multi-modal Training (12 weeks distance learning and Web conferences,
followed by four days of on-campus workshops)
B. Track 2: Full Spectrum Distance-only Training (12 weeks distance learning and Web conferences
only)
C. Track 3: Breast-ovarian Sub-specialty Training (Distance learning and Web conferences only)
D. Track 4: Gastrointestinal Sub-specialty Training (Distance learning and Web conferences only)
Application deadline – AUGUST 1, 2014
Course dates – distance learning – NOVEMBER 14, 2014-FEBRUARY 20, 2015,
On-site COURSE – FEBRUARY 23-26,2014
Your colleagues who may be interested can find additional information, along with the course
application, on the CCG Website: http://www.cityofhope.org/intensive-course-in-cancer-riskassessment.
City of Hope/University of Chicago Genomics Bootcamp/Update Conference
Additionally, graduates of the Intensive Course are invited in an annual cancer genetics update course.
In 2015 the course will be hosted at City of Hope, Duarte, CA. Save the Date for next year's City of
Hope/University of Chicago Cancer Genomics Bootcamp/Update Conference: Friday, February 27th,
Saturday, February 28th, 2015 at City of Hope. We guarantee to incorporate MORE case presentations
and curbside consults, and we welcome your suggestions about what you'd like us to address in the
2015 session.
Please feel free to contact Kathy at kblazer@coh.org if you have questions or suggestions regarding the
2015 Intensive Course or Cancer Genomics Update Conference.
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The Jackson Laboratory: Family History for Cancer Risk Assessment, Testing & Management Course
In October 2013, it was announced that the Jackson Laboratory, an NCI designated Cancer Center, would
assume responsibility for the NCHPEG operations and educational programs. Jackson Laboratory is a
nonprofit organization focusing on genetics research to advance human health. They provide a variety of
educational opportunities across a broad cross section of human diseases and genetic disorders. Please
read the following announcement pertaining to a new online Family History for Cancer Risk Assessment,
Testing and Management course.
Dear NCHPEG friends and colleagues,
We announced last fall that The Jackson Laboratory would be taking on the maintenance of NCHPEG educational
programs and hiring three NCHPEG staff members. The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is committed to building on
NCHPEG's legacy and mission, and as such, we are pleased to share with you JAX's first online education program
for clinicians: Family History for Cancer Risk Assessment, Testing and Management.
This free, online educational program helps health care providers improve their cancer risk assessment and
prevention practice through targeted family history screening. The program is for practicing primary care providers as
well as students and residents. Highlights of the program include:

Strategies to use family history to identify patients at increased risk of a genetic syndrome, such as
hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, for earlier or more frequent cancer screening.

Application of new USPSTF guidelines recommending family history screening for all patients with a family
history of breast and ovarian cancer.

Learning through 15-minute interactive Web cases and downloadable point-of-care tools that can be used in
the clinic.

Free CME.
We hope that you can help us recruit clinicians to use the program. Please share this email and the link to the web
program (www.jaxge.org) with your colleagues. The press release announcing the program is also available
here.
Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions. We would be happy to talk further about this project with you
or any interested colleagues. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.
You are receiving this email because you were on the NCHPEG contact list. If you wish to unsubscribe from future
communications about genetics education for health professionals, please use the link at the bottom of this email.
Sincerely,
Kate Reed, MPH, ScM, CGC, Director of Clinical and Continuing Education
Emily Edelman, MS, CGC, Associate Director of Clinical and Continuing Education
Therese Ingram Nissen, MA, Senior Instructional Designer
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Access to the Cancer Genetics SIG Virtual Community and Discussion pages
Communication with SIG members is critical to the success of our SIG! The SIG leadership team relies
upon the Virtual Community and the SIG discussion pages to inform members of upcoming events,
identify pressing issues or concerns related to cancer genetics and nursing practice and gauge feedback
from members on strategic planning and goal setting. We need to hear from you on a variety of key
issues during the year.
In the fall of each year a survey is distributed to the SIG membership seeking feedback on topics
important to ONS National as well as the CAG SIG. We have had very dismal results in obtaining
responses from our membership to these surveys. Last year we had a total of 10 responses our of a total
of 1700 Sig members, less than a 1% response rate. So as a leadership team, we are committed to trying
to improve and streamline the methods of communication avenues so that we can best represent your
concerns to ONS. This coming year, ONS will be going through many changes and so our voices need to
be heard. The Educational conference format will be changing: Congress as we knew it may be changing
completely. ONS will select a new Executive Director as Paula Rieger retires. A new ONS President will
assume office along with new board members and their top agenda priorities may take different
directions. So we hope that this will be the year that our members will voice their concerns and enhance
their communication with the SIG Leadership team.
It is important for SIG members to recognize that SIG membership does not give automatic access to the
Virtual Community nor to the Discussion board. Both the Virtual Community and the Discussion board
requires members to establish a personalized log-in and register to access. We have published
instructions and reminders on how to complete this process but continue to hear from members about
their frustration in obtaining timely information about CAG SIG activities or projects. So once more,
instructions for accessing the ONS SIG Virtual Community and Discussion board are attached below.
SIG membership does not place you on the SIG VC automatically, you must access the site, log on and
register yourself. It is a separate logon that follows your logon to the main ONS page.
Log into the ONS main page
Click the membership tab.
Click connect to virtual communities / Special Interest Groups in the right column
Choose Cancer Genetics from the next page
Click “log in“ or new user in the top left corner
Click on discussion
If you have not already done so, YOU MUST LOGIN to initiate or respond to posted discussions
To participate in the discussion forum, log into the Virtual Community using your ONS Username and
Password and then click on the “subscribe to discussion link” in the box for discussion.
I look forward to hearing from our membership over the course of the next two years as I enter my term
as SIG Coordinator, and hope to meet many of you at next year’s ONS Congress in Orlando. Florida.
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