Strategic Plan

Mission

To advance the specialty of Radiation Oncology through promotion of equitable, high-quality care for people with cancer, cultivating and educating a diverse workforce, fostering research and innovation, and leading policy development and advocacy.

Approved by the ASTRO Board of Directors June 2022

A strategic plan is essential to help guide ASTRO in the coming years and outline measurable goals for our specialty as a whole. Over the past year, ASTRO membership, Board of Directors and staff looked at the most pressing issues facing the field of radiation oncology and provided input for the development of our new strategic plan, outlined below.

Vision

Improving the lives of people with cancer with radiation therapy.

Goals and Objectives

Goal: ASTRO will cultivate fuller engagement with radiation oncology community

Engage Early Career Practitioners to be active participants of the Society
Assess the evolving needs of a diverse radiation oncology community to increase the relevancy and desirability of ASTRO membership
Foster a sense of inclusion among radiation oncology communities
Increase collaboration and partnership with radiation oncology stakeholders

Goal: ASTRO will foster a diverse workforce and improve access to equitable care

Prioritize diversity, equity, and belonging in all ASTRO activities to reflect an inclusive culture
Help to generate a diverse radiation oncology workforce that reflects the US population
Educate the radiation oncology community on the clinicians' role in creating equitable care
Offer welcoming spaces that showcase differences and support the needs of different communities
Support and improve access to the equitable delivery of radiation therapy

Goal: ASTRO will drive high quality care

Lead initiatives that enhance the quality, safety, and value of radiation oncology to improve the lives of patients
Drive patient-centered, equitable and timely access to care
Create guidelines, metrics and interventions that lead to improved patient outcomes
Support the judicious use of technological advances that lead to more efficient and higher value patient care

Goal: ASTRO will lead policy advocacy

Serve as a credible resource that educates and influences the federal government on the
benefits, value and innovation of radiation oncology to the overall healthcare system
Drive policies that reduce cancer disparities and improve care for groups that have been economically and socially marginalized
Support incentives for radiation oncologists to actively engage in clinical patient care, as well as protect and expand their scope of practice for the benefit of patients
Advocate that patients and radiation oncologists, not payers or benefits managers, make all treatment decisions based on clinical and scientific evidence
Promote policies that expand access and coverage for both independent physician offices and hospitals to ensure radiation oncology services are available to all patients who may benefit

Goal: ASTRO will enhance research and innovation in the field

Promote research innovations for radiation oncology
Develop collaborative partnerships to expand radiation oncology research funding
Foster, mentor and equip diverse researchers with the knowledge and skills to compete for research funding
Support expansion of health services research and funding demonstrating the value of radiation therapy
Convene research stakeholders and strengthen the innovation ecosystem for radiation oncology

Goal: ASTRO will showcase the patient benefits of radiation therapy

Educate, inform and influence the public on the value and benefits of radiation therapy to help patients advocate for high quality care
Provide radiation oncologists with the tools and skills to advocate for patients in multidisciplinary care
Educate referring physicians on the role of radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer and other diseases
Introduce a diverse cadre of trainees and students to radiation oncology
Highlight innovations that benefit patients

Goal: ASTRO will ensure access to innovative education

Conduct dynamic assessments of the diverse needs of learners throughout their careers to inform the overall educational curriculum
Adapt educational content to support the evolving trends, opportunities and practice management needs in radiation oncology
Design and deliver educational opportunities that build and sustain competence and skills to support quality, evidence-based care in diverse career pathways and practice settings
Expand the reach and accessibility of educational offerings

How will successfully achieving these strategic goals shape the future of the specialty?
The majority of Americans will have a positive perception and awareness of radiation oncology. Radiation oncologists will be regularly quoted in mainstream media. Cancer care will be characterized by molecular and genomic typing (personalized/precision medicine), and the significant role of radiation oncology in this evolution of care will be well understood by the House of Medicine. The ASTRO Annual Meeting will be the preferred venue for cutting-edge research presentations. Cancer patients will look to radiation oncology as the leader of their oncology team. All patients who could benefit from radiation therapy will receive it. Radiation oncologists will provide direct patient access and will be consulted prior to treatment about decisions guiding cancer care, and radiotherapy utilization will increase in underused disease sites.

Integration of multidisciplinary care will be established by evidence. We will continually measure improvements in radiotherapy value using metrics focused on cost, outcomes, and patient satisfaction. Our research will be transformative and published in high impact journals. We will embrace public reporting of objective quality metrics and price transparency. We will be recognized for having directly bent the oncology cost-curve. We will be a primary participant and deeply involved in oncology policy development. Other cancer and research specialists are inspired to join ASTRO based on its effective collaboration with government agencies and policy stakeholders.

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