Leadership Planning and Evaluation

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

CCSG COMPONENT 001 ? LEADERSHIP, PLANNING AND EVALUATION PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) has a dynamic and diverse leadership team that encompasses expertise across all facets of the cancer research and clinical enterprises and provides oversight of basic, clinical, translational, prevention, control and population-based research programs. Working collaboratively and effectively, the senior leaders have enhanced organizational capabilities, and planning and evaluation activities to reduce the cancer burden in our community and globally. Leadership, Planning and Evaluation activities provide a structured workstreams for assessing our current status, identifying opportunities and formulating approaches for implementing the VICC mission. VICC carries out internal and external evaluation and strategic planning to inform and support its decision-making processes. The significant accomplishments of VICC membership and leadership, described throughout this renewal application, provide evidence of an effective and productive leadership team and the use of planning and evaluation (internal and external) processes. Since the last competing renewal a new strategic plan was initiated with a focus on expansion of research programs through continued recruitment of 67 talented investigators that joined the VICC membership and collectively advanced scientific discovery. As the goals of the 2014-2019 VICC Strategic Plan have been largely accomplished, in 2017, the Director and Senior Leadership embarked upon a new strategic planning process, which has been approved for the next project period and endorsed by the External Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB). The intent of the plan is to continue to invest in programs and people that are essential for continued translation of discoveries to patients, expand select areas of research as dictated by needs and opportunities and further strengthen the position of the matrix Center within the region, nation and worldwide. Key objectives of the new plan include: 1) advancing fundamental discoveries, 2) moving discoveries to interventions, 3) enabling a systems approach to cancer, and 4) reducing cancer disparities and burden. External evaluation is provided by the ESAB, Community Advisory Board, and Board of Overseers; providing expert guidance and insights to VICC leadership and membership on opportunities for collaborations and engagement, catchment area needs, development of programs, merit of research accomplishments and feedback on performance. Several internal mechanisms provide comprehensive planning and evaluation within VICC; these include the Executive Committee, Research Program Leaders Committee, Shared Resource Oversight Group, CRCERA Advisory Committee, and others. Together, these external and internal evaluation groups provide advice to the Director, who has ultimate responsibility and authority for setting the vision and priorities for the Center as a whole in order to promote transdisciplinary scientific advances that can be translated to patients and community.