NEWS now published : ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines on VTE in Patients with Cancer
ASH ’ s new clinical practice guideline on the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism ( VTE ) in patients with cancer is now published in Blood Advances .
This is the latest in a series of 11 guidelines ASH is developing on VTE with support from the McMaster University GRADE Centre in Canada .
The recommendations address the use of mechanical and pharmacological prophylaxis in hospitalized patients with cancer , in those undergoing a surgical procedure , and in ambulatory patients with cancer receiving systemic therapy . They also address the use of anticoagulation for the initial , short- , and long-term treatment of VTE in patients with cancer , including those with central venous catheter and patients with recurrent VTE despite anticoagulation treatment .
Find the guidelines , as well as clinical tools and educational resources for implementation , at hematology . org / VTEguidelines .
A teaching slide set is available on the ASH website as a resource for guideline implementation .
ASH Funds 10 Hematology-Focused Fellowship Training Programs
The Society has dedicated $ 19 million to address the critical need to expand the hematology workforce with expertise in non-malignant blood disorders .
The American Society of Hematology ( ASH ) has dedicated $ 19 million to fund 10 new hematology-focused fellowship tracks in existing adult hematology-oncology training programs . The goal of the new ASH Hematology-Focused Fellowship Training Program is to strengthen the pipeline for the hematology workforce by producing 50 new academic hematologists by 2030 .
U . S . academic institutions can apply to the program as of February 16 , and selected institutions will receive funding to support the salary of an assistant program director to develop a robust hematology training experience , as well as up to two new fellows per year over a period of five years . The first cohort of 10 ASH-sponsored hematology fellows is expected to begin in July 2023 .
“ Ensuring an invigorated and sustainable future for hematology and , in particular , nonmalignant hematology , is key strategic priority for the Society ,” said 2021 ASH President Martin S . Tallman , MD , of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center . “ We believe it is critically important for ASH to make this unprecedented investment in the field , which will in turn benefit participating institutions by allowing them to expand their own hematology workforce .”
Over the course of 25 years , accredited hematology only fellowship programs have been gradually absorbed into combined accredited hematologyoncology programs . According to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education , in 1995 there were 74 accredited U . S . hematology training programs and 75 hematology-oncology programs . Today , there are only two accredited single-specialty hematology programs and 172 combined hematology-oncology programs . However , a handful of dually accredited programs have started to offer hematology-focused tracks within their combined programs for fellows that express an interest in only boarding in hematology . ASH is looking to build on this model by funding the creation of new hematology-focused tracks within accredited hematology-oncology programs .
ASH expects that the institutions supported under this program will augment their hematology-focused fellowship tracks with innovative , enhanced curricula in multidisciplinary nonmalignant hematology . Multidisciplinary nonmalignant hematology is defined as clinical hematology paired with either enhanced career expertise in a subdiscipline of non-malignant hematology ( e . g ., transfusion medicine ) or a complementary discipline ( e . g ., medical education , systems-based hematology ).
At the core of ASH ’ s effort to sustain and stren-gthen the hematology workforce is a comprehensive longitudinal workforce study commissioned by the Society to examine the current workforce and the existing pipeline of future hematologists . The initial results of the ongoing three-year study helped shed light on critical opportunities for ASH intervention . One of the primary recommendations from the first phase of the workforce study was the need to increase the number of hematology-oncology fellowship programs designed to prioritize training in hematology and promote careers in hematology in the United States .
“ Not only are we , as hematologists , at the forefront of cutting-edge research , but we are also afforded ample opportunities to truly make a difference in the lives of individuals who need our specialized care ,” said Dr . Tallman . “ ASH looks forward to collaborating with the institutions selected
for this program to recruit a new class of talented hematologists and support them throughout their careers .”
Proposals will be accepted for the Hematology- Focused Fellowship Training Program through November , with the awarded institutions to be announced in March 2022 after a competitive review process .
Institutions interested in submitting a proposal can find more information at hematology . org / hfftp .
Register Today for the 2021 Highlights of ASH ® A Virtual Experience
Registration for the 2021 Highlights of ASH series is now open . This year ’ s all-virtual experience will give attendees a synopsis of the top hematology research presented at the 62nd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition this past December , while providing networking opportunities and lessons on improving patient management and care strategies .
New this year , Community Nights will feature live interactive sessions summarizing each regional and thematic area , as well as Q & A opportunities with session panelists .
The platform will be open March 1 to April 2 , 2021 .
Learn more and register today at hematology . org / meetings / highlights .
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