Conference Abstracts - Summit on Cancer Health Disparities (SCHD26)
Vol. 6, Issue Supplement 1, 2026 · S1-2
Implementing a Novel Interprofessional Morbidity and Mortality Conference in Hematology/Oncology Fellowship
Aditya Sharma, MD,Natasha Dhawan, MD,Ivy Riano, MD,Melissa Pomeroy, MSN,Christi Hayes, MD,Katherine Silvius, MPH,Miriam Dowling-Schmitt, RN,Rebecca Johnson, BA, C-TAGME,Kori Field, MSN,Anna Park, MSN,Catherine Rodriguez, MSN,Ryan Montano, RN,Philip Benoit, PharmD,Frederick Lansigan, MD
Submission received: 2025-12-15 / Accepted: 2026-01-07 / Published: 2026-01-25
Abstract
Abstract Category: Quality Improvement
Word count: 294/300
Background
Morbidity and mortality conferences are a key tenet of improving patient safety and quality improvement across hospitals worldwide. They serve an educational role for medical trainees as well and have been mandated from the ACGME for over 40 years. While medical care provided to patients is the summation of a team effort, M&M conferences are often physician-led. We therefore set out to create an inclusive M&M conference equally led by all members of the healthcare team, including physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other specialty services.
Methods
This began with formation of a planning committee consisting of key stakeholders in patient care. The goals of each conference were aligned with the ACGME requirements for patient safety and quality improvement in hematology/oncology fellowships through this inclusive platform. Each session was followed by a plan-do-study-act cycle to improve our conference series and make this a true interprofessional effort. The educational value and interprofessional goals were assessed by an anonymous survey provided to audience members.
Results
This conference series was found to be "inclusive" and "empowering" by multiple anonymous participants. Following 3 sessions, it received an average of 3.7/4 for interprofessional goals and 3.63/4 for educational goals.
Conclusions
This interprofessional M&M approach allowed us to better understand barriers faced by each profession, fostering interprofessional care while providing a positive educational experience for those involved. Our inclusive approach to quality improvement met ACGME core competencies for hematology and oncology fellowships, thus serving as an educational tool that could be replicated at other institutions. Future sessions will include exploration of disparities faced by rural populations. We look forward to implementing this conference on a quarterly basis and aim to expand it within and beyond the hematology/oncology division to include lunches while serving as an interactive platform fostering a culture of learning, QI, and inclusivity.