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Frequently asked questions
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Prospective COEs
Is there a cost to become a Center of Excellence (COE)?
No - there is no cost to apply for or receive a COE designation.
Can any healthcare facility apply?
Yes, any facility that believes it meets the criteria for one or more designations is welcome to apply for that designation. COE-designated facilities represent all sizes and settings—small and large, rural and urban, private and government-run, academic and non-teaching.
Can I apply for just one COE designation?
Yes. GO2’s Screening Center of Excellence and Cancer Care Center of Excellence designations serve as the “points of entry” into the COE program. Once your facility receives either or both of those designations, you are welcome to apply for others.
Will my facility eventually be required to apply for the other COE designations GO2 offers?
There will be no requirement to apply for or receive additional designations beyond your program’s initial Screening or Cancer Care COE designation, but we hope you will find the other designations inspiring and attainable, and we are here to support you in seeking them.
How do I submit an application for GO2 COE designation?
Once you have reviewed and determined that you meet the required criteria for the designation(s), apply by going to our COE application page.
What information will I need to provide in my COE application?
The COE application is a simple yes/no attestation to each criterion for that designation. An optional comment box allows you to provide more information and context behind any “no” responses. This helps us understand what actions are underway to address the current issues and how we can help.
My program has more than one location. Do they need to apply separately?
If your program has more than one facility/location (for example, a lung cancer screening program with several outpatient imaging centers), each facility/location will need to submit a separate application. This ensures that we have complete and accurate contact information for each location.
My program manages multiple locations. Since each location needs to apply separately for COE designation, can the same person be the primary point of contact for more than one?
The same staff member may serve as the primary point of contact for more than one facility/location’s COE designation records. You will need to identify which facility/location is the “parent” for the additional “child” facility records for which you have submitted applications.
What if my COE application is not approved?
The application process is intended to be collaborative and empowering. If you begin the application and discover some aspect of your program needing further development to meet COE criteria, we will work with you to identify strategies and solutions to address the issues. Then we will celebrate with you when the eligibility goal is met!
How do I maintain my COE designation after it is awarded?
Each year, programs will be asked to submit information that shows they have met and maintained eligibility criteria for the awarded designations.
Reporting program information to GO2 will be once a year.
What if I have difficulty submitting the program reporting information requested?
The program information reporting process is not meant to be punitive. Any program having difficulty locating its program information should not hesitate to communicate with us so we can assist them with problem-solving.
Does the program reporting information include any patient-level data?
Any program information we request from you will always reflect information about the overall program activity and outcome-level data. We do not seek individual patient-level data for any of the COE information.
What do you do with the program information we submit?
The program information you submit to GO2 will be used to create an aggregated report of the entire COE network. Your program information will be returned to you in report form with the aggregated report of the entire COE network. This information will help you benchmark or compare your program activity to the national COE network. This information will also help your program review performance year-over-year for internal quality improvement initiatives.
Will our program information be shared publicly?
Identifiable program/facility information will not be shared with others outside GO2 or your program’s established points of contact for your COE designation(s).
What benefits do I receive as a Center of Excellence?
Program Development & Networking
- Personalized technical assistance and support from GO2 staff and peer experts within the COE network.
- Opportunities for learning and sharing best practices and collaborating with peers at the annual Centers of Excellence Summit with preferential COE-only pricing.
- Members-only access to a private, peer-to-peer online community to share best practices, overcome challenges, and learn from other healthcare professionals.
- Preferred access to designated content within GO2’s Global Knowledge Center for Lung Cancer (GKC).
- Subscription to a monthly COE e-newsletter with access to the latest practice, research and policy updates and other pertinent news.
- Quality improvement resources include aggregate COE Network quality performance reports across the COE network and opportunities to participate in periodic COE surveys and receive metrics reports and dashboards.
- Research opportunities to advance our understanding of early stage and pre-cancerous disease, improve quality of life/survivorship, enhance patient care across the continuum, reduce stigma, and much more. Visit our research pages for descriptions of our current studies.
Program Promotional Tools
- Acceptance letter with certificate of excellence
- Exclusive promotional seals and materials for use on your facility’s website, social media channels, and marketing resources.
- Template press release and social media posts.
- Visibility to patients and referring providers through our listing in the national directory of GO2 Centers of Excellence.
Plus, being part of the GO2 community brings you:
- Patient education resources covering the most current information on every aspect of the disease. Access to our online publications store to order print copies.
- Special resources available through the Shine a Light on Lung Cancer program every year during Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
- Opportunities to participate in national advocacy to improve public awareness, patient access and research funding for the lung cancer community.
- Online education and support through the Lung Cancer Living Room patient support group.
- Support for patients, caregivers, and others through our HelpLine (1-800-298-2436) and National Lung Cancer Support Group, and
- Access to the Lung Cancer Patient Registry to use aggregated data as a tool to find patterns in care for improved outcomes.
Global Knowledge Center for Lung Cancer
What is the Global Knowledge Center for Lung Cancer (GKC)?
The GO2 Global Knowledge Center for Lung Cancer (GKC) is an education hub designed to meet the educational needs of primary care providers and all healthcare professionals who have touchpoints and care for the lung cancer community.
Who would most benefit from using the GKC?
Community and public health professionals, primary care providers, and healthcare team members who care for people at-risk or living with lung cancer and their families would benefit from the GKC’s offerings.
What is the cost of using the GKC?
There is no cost to create an account and access content on the GKC. Most courses and webinars are offered at no charge.
How do I access the GKC?
Go to gkc.go2.org and select “Sign In” in the upper right corner of the landing page. If you already have an account, you can sign in to your account using your email and password or select “create a new account” to register as a new user.
What types of activities are offered at the GKC?
The GKC offers a variety of educational opportunities including live webinars and their recordings for later viewing, on-demand presentations by subject matter experts, educational courses, and opportunities for networking and community. New courses are frequently added so check back often!
Are there CE/CME/CEU’s available on the GKC?
Occasionally, educational credits are offered, but most courses do not currently provide them.
How can I get help with my account, create a new account, or troubleshoot a problem with a course?
Email Knowledge@go2.org with any questions or if you need assistance.
Screening Program Models
What is meant by centralized, decentralized, and hybrid lung cancer screening programs?
This refers to how a screening program directly manages the patient’s path through the screening process relative to the patient’s primary care (PCP) or another referring provider. In a centralized lung cancer screening program (LCSP), the program is positioned at the helm of the overall screening process; in a decentralized program, the PCP manages their patient’s screening path; and a hybrid program falls along the spectrum in between.
Is my lung cancer screening program supposed to look exactly like one of these three models?
No, these models are a representation to assist programs in identifying the types of structural workflow they can adopt while accounting for each essential element of a comprehensive, patient-centered screening process. This includes identifying the screening eligible, delivering shared decision making and smoking cessation, conducting the LDCT scan, interpreting and reporting results, recommending and managing diagnostic follow-up, tracking patient engagement and monitoring outcomes.
Is one model better than another?
Not necessarily. The model your program most closely follows is dependent upon your available resources as well as the needs and preferences of your patient and referring provider community. Some research suggests centralized programs have higher rates of patient annual and interval adherence, but this may be due to greater navigation resources typically associated with these programs rather than the structure itself. The essential aim, wherever your program falls along the centralized-decentralized spectrum, is to ensure a smooth and consistent screening path, minimizing any gaps that contribute to patient disengagement or delays in care.
Centers of Excellence Summit
What is the Centers of Excellence (COE) Summit?
GO2’s COE Summit is a much-anticipated annual meeting for healthcare professionals dedicated to best practices in lung cancer care. Summit content focuses on key areas of strategic importance to the lung cancer community including advancements in early detection, personalized treatments, community engagement, and survivorship.
Who should attend COE Summit?
Physicians, allied healthcare professionals, nurses, program directors, coordinators, and researchers working across the lung cancer care continuum should attend.
Do I need to be from a COE to attend COE Summit?
No, both COE and non-COE members are welcome to attend.
What are the benefits of attending the COE Summit?
Attendees learn from a panel of national and international lung cancer experts. These renowned healthcare professionals share cutting-edge technologies, emerging therapies, and the successes and challenges of program implementation.
Attendees also benefit from peer-to-peer networking, shared learning, and collaboration.
Is there a cost to attend the COE Summit?
Yes, there is a registration fee but GO2 for Lung Cancer works diligently to keep costs as low as possible. Discounted rates are offered to Centers of Excellence members and early bird registrants.
Where is the COE Summit held?
Future COE Summit dates and locations are published on this website.
Is the COE Summit held at the same time each year?
The COE Summit is generally held between September and November.
Are professional Continuing Education (CE) credits available during the COE Summit?
CEs are typically not available for the COE Summit. However, the optional pre-Summit Lung Cancer Navigator Workshop offers CEs.
How do I register for the COE Summit?
Visit the COE Summit registration page.
Lung Cancer Navigator Workshop
What is the Lung Cancer Navigator Workshop?
GO2’s Lung Cancer Navigator Workshop offers a comprehensive core curriculum covering all foundational knowledge and skills essential to serving people at risk and living with lung cancer. This one-day workshop prepares, empowers, and positions lung cancer navigators for success.
Why does GO2 offer the Lung Cancer Navigator Workshop?
GO2 has a long history of helping lung cancer navigators provide the best possible care through one-on-one support and education. This workshop also supports GO2’s mission of leveraging every opportunity for people at risk and living with lung cancer receive the right care at the right time, improve quality of life, and increase survival..
What are the goals of the Lung Cancer Navigator Workshop?
This workshop meets navigators no matter where they are in their careers. The workshop:
- Educates attendees on the latest lung cancer science and emerging information.
- Develops competencies and teaches new skills to grow in their thoracic oncology roles.
- Builds on navigators’ current knowledge and supports their professional growth.
- Positions them to better serve people at risk or living with lung cancer.
Who should attend?
New or established nurses, allied health professionals, patient navigators, and non-clinical professionals across the lung cancer continuum will? benefit from this specialized education.
Is it accredited to provide professional Continuing Education Credit?
Yes! We offer CEs for attending the workshop.
Is there a cost to attend the Navigator Workshop?
Yes, but discounts are available for early-bird registration, COEs, and VAs. A reduced price is also offered if the workshop is added to COE Summit registration.
The Navigator Workshop provides incredible value, including up to ten (10) ANCC and ACGME-accredited CE hours. See the registration page for details.
Is this workshop in-person only?
Yes, it is currently in-person, only. Follow updates on workshop dates and related navigator information here.
Where is the Navigator Workshop held?
Future Navigator Workshop dates and locations are published on this website.
Is the Navigator Workshop held at the same time each year?
The Navigator Workshop is held during the Fall, between September and November.