The ASCO Study of Collaborative Practice Arrangements: A Nurse Practitioner’s Point of View

J Adv Pract Oncol 2012;3:47–48 A s a veteran oncology nurse practitioner, the findings presented by Towle et al. (2011) in their article, “Results of the ASCO Study of Collaborative Practice Arrangements,” recently published in the Journal of Oncology Practice, were not astonishing to me. The purpose of their study was to address the workforce shortage of oncologists by exploring collaborative oncology practice models that include nonphysician practitioners (NPPs)— physician assistants and nurse practitioners. The study design consisted of two steps: (1) a national survey of NPP integration into oncology practices and identification of collaborative practice models and services, and (2) a more detailed data and satisfaction survey of selected practices.