Addressing Financial Toxicity in Oncology: Practical Strategies to Support Underserved Patients

SELF STUDY / ENDURING - ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETE ACTIVITY: 40 Minutes

Overview

This program offers an in-depth exploration of financial toxicity in oncology and its impact on treatment adherence, quality of life, and outcomes among underserved populations. Participants will examine patient-, disease-, and system-level contributors to financial hardship, along with practical screening and communication strategies. Through case-based scenarios, attendees will gain practical insights into identifying financial distress, coordinating multidisciplinary support, and connecting patients with financial assistance and community resources.

Learning Objectives

  1. Define financial toxicity and describe its clinical, psychosocial, and treatment adherence implications in oncology care, particularly among underserved populations.
  2. Identify patient-, disease-, and system-level drivers of financial toxicity that disproportionately affect underserved communities.
  3. Describe practical screening and communication strategies to assess financial distress in routine oncology APP practice.
  4. Discuss multidisciplinary and community-based resources to mitigate financial barriers and improve equitable cancer care outcomes.

Target Audience:

This activity is intended for oncology nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, clinical pharmacists, and other healthcare providers involved in the care of patients with cancer.

 

Presented By

                                                                  

Course summary

Available credit: 
  • 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Horizon CME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Horizon CME designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Course opens: 
10/08/2026
Course expires: 
10/08/2027
Cost:
$0.00
Rating: 
0

Faculty

Jessica Gelfarb, LICSW, OSW-C

Oncology Social Worker
GW Cancer Center
Washington, DC

Jessica Gelfarb, LICSW, OSW-C  is a licensed clinical and certified oncology social worker who has experience working with patients and families facing a range of medical diagnoses in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from University of Michigan and her master’s degree in social work from University of Maryland with a focus on clinical and medical social work.  

In her current role as an oncology social worker at GW Cancer Center, she collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to provide clinical care and create supportive programming for patients experiencing a wide variety of cancer types.  Throughout her career she previously worked extensively with organ transplant patients at Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute and has also spent time working on cardiology and intensive care units.  She is passionate about support group facilitation and providing psychosocial support to patients with cancer as they navigate their diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.


​​​​Molly Vencel, LICSW

Oncology Social Worker
Johns Hopkins Medicine Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Sibley Memorial Hospital
Washington, DC

Molly Vencel, LICSW  is currently an oncology social worker at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial Hospital. She earned her master's degree at the Smith College School for Social Work.  She primarily works with patients with GI and GU cancers offering psychosocial support before, during, and after treatment. Molly enjoys working with young adult cancer patients, and she runs support groups for patients with metastatic cancer and bladder cancer. She has previously presented topics such as Coping with a Cancer Diagnosis, Survivorship, and Financial Toxicity. 

Disclosures:

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Horizon CME (HCME) ensures that continuing education activities are balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous. 

All persons in a position to influence the content of an accredited continuing education activity provided by Horizon CME are required to disclose to HCME any relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies within the past 24 months. All reported relevant financial relationships have been mitigated by Horizon CME.

Jessica Gelfarb, LICSW, OSW-C discloses no relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients during the past 24 months.

Molly Vencel, LICSW discloses no relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients during the past 24 months.

Other Contributors:

Those others involved in the planning of this activity disclosed no relevant financial relationships with any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients.

Available Credit

  • 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). Horizon CME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

    Horizon CME designates this Enduring activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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Required Hardware/software

Access to internet required

Supported Browsers:

Internet Explorer 8.0+ for Windows 2003, Vista, XP, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and above

Google Chrome 28.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

Mozilla Firefox 23.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

Safari 6.0+ for Mac OSX 10.7 and above

 

Supported Phones & Tablets:

 Android 4.0.3 and above

iPhone/iPad with iOS 6.1 or above