New ISCO-SCCA collaboration to elevate standard of monthly virtual personalized tumor board

The Idaho Society of Clinical Oncology (ISCO) held its annual Board of Directors retreat in Sun Valley, ID on July 24-26, 2015. The focus for the retreat was how to discuss strategies to improve the care of cancer patients in Idaho. During the meeting, ISCO board announced a partnership with the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) to collaborate with ISCO's monthly virtual personalized tumor board.

ISCO started the tumor board in February of 2015. The personalized medicine multidisciplinary tumor board, the nation's first statewide tumor board, was created to promote and foster the exchange of ideas among healthcare professionals in order to improve treatment planning for difficult cancer cases. Experts from various cancer centers of Idaho attend the meeting. Dr. Binay Shah, ISCO President, said, "ISCO-SCCA collaboration will elevate the standard of ISCO's virtual tumor board, the nation's first statewide virtual tumor board."

During the board retreat, the Board announced annual Thomas Beck Oncology Leader award and Idaho Society of Clinical Oncology Leader award. Thomas Beck Oncology Leader award was named after Dr. Thomas Beck. Beck is one of three Hematologists at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho. He has over 48 years of experience in the field of medicine. Dr. Beck has made an extraordinary impression on cancer care in the state of Idaho. Both awards will be presented at the ISCO Fall meeting on September 12, 2015 in Boise, ID.