Bylaws vote closes Friday, ASTRO launches public awareness campaign, Grants and fellowships deadlines
November 20, 2024
| ASTRO’s efforts in promoting radiopharmaceutical therapies |
| Last week, ASTRO hosted the second radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) roundtable with 52 attendees, including 31 industry representatives from 16 companies. Discussions included the need to expand the number of authorized users for RPT, enhance engagement and training, and foster collaboration with other involved specialties. Learn more about ASTRO’s efforts to support RPTs. |
| Action needed: Last days for bylaws vote |
| The ballot for the 2024 bylaws changes closes on Friday, November 22. Take a moment to review the proposed changes and submit your vote before 5:00 p.m. Friday. View the revised bylaws and access the ballot at www.astro.org/vote. The ballot and instructions will appear once you log in with your email address and password. If you need assistance with your login information, please email Membership. |
| ASTRO launches new public awareness campaign - Radiation Therapy in Focus |
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| ASTRO launched a new online public awareness campaign that gives cancer patients the facts about radiation therapy. Radiation Therapy in Focus includes video interviews with radiation oncologists and patients about what radiation therapy is and how it can cure or treat cancer. The campaign includes an FAQs handout and a short quiz to test visitors' knowledge of radiation therapy. The campaign is part of the RTAnswers patient education website and this initial effort will be promoted online as people seek cancer treatment information. Additional resources for providers to review with patients are available on the Provider Resources section of astro.org. |
| Mitigate negative billing impacts by attending the ASTRO Coding Seminar |
| On Saturday, December 7, ASTRO is offering the 2024 Virtual Coding and Coverage Seminar. Training your staff on coding guidelines is one way to mitigate negative billing impacts. This seminar covers current radiation oncology coding rules and regulations to prevent errors. A 2023 attendee shared, "The Coding and Coverage Seminar had a lot of discussion and questions that related to everyone. The Q&A was my favorite part. It was my first radiation oncology seminar, and I plan to attend more." View the seminar agenda here and make plans to join us for this convenient, one-day virtual seminar. Register now! |
| New from the ASTRO Academy |
| Did you miss the ASTRO guidelines update session during the Annual Meeting? It’s now available onDemand. Purchase the session, Update on ASTRO’s Partial Breast Irradiation Guidelines: Case-Based Interactive Discussion, and read the guideline published in Practical Radiation Oncology. |
| Apply now: ASTRO-AstraZeneca Industry Fellowship open for proposals |
| Did you know ASTRO offers unique industry training experiences? The ASTRO-AstraZeneca Radiation Oncology Research Training Fellowship is now accepting proposals through January 10. This fellowship offers an incredible opportunity for researchers to collaborate with industry leaders and advance their projects. For more details and to submit your proposal, review the Request for Proposals and learn more about our past Industry Fellows’ experiences and the ASTRO-Industry Fellows program. |
| Start planning your ASTRO Seed Grant proposal now |
| We're thrilled to announce the upcoming ASTRO Residents/Fellows Radiation Oncology Seed Grants, designed to support innovative research projects at their early stages. This year, the funding amount for ASTRO Seed Grants has increased from $25,000 to $50,000! Review the Request for Proposals and submit your application by February 7, 2025. Don't miss this chance to take your ideas to the next level! |
| Boost your research career: ASTRO Supported Grants web session |
| Interested in advancing your research career? Don’t miss the next ROCKS session on ASTRO Supported Grants, December 4 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time! Hear from successful grant recipients as they share their experiences navigating the world of ASTRO funding. This session is designed for early career researchers, residents, fellows and junior faculty in radiation oncology and medical physics, offering valuable tips on grant applications, overcoming challenges and building collaborative networks. Register today! |
| ASTRO, others join letter to Congress: Stop the 2025 reimbursement cut NOW |
| This week, ASTRO joined 129 organizations in a letter to Congress urging swift action in Congress this year to both prevent the scheduled 2.83% payment cut under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and provide a positive payment update for 2025. To learn more, visit What’s Happening in Washington. |
| Newly updated RO-ILS webpages |
| Interested in having your practice enroll in RO-ILS? Or are you seeking to involve your facility more in RO-ILS and realize the full benefits of active participation? View the new RO-ILS enrollment and participation webpages for step-by-step instructions, diagrams and suggestions on how to engage in this important patient safety program. Thanks to the generous sponsorship by ASTRO and AAPM, and critical supporters such as Varian and others, the program has been free to the community for over 10 years. For individualized RO-ILS support, contact ASTRO staff. |
