Elevating Person-Centered Oncology Care Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Developing the Role of Music Therapy in Oncology
This workshop explores the vital role of Music Therapy in integrative oncology care and its capacity to enhance patient outcomes through evidence-based, person-centered, and collaborative approaches. With a programmatic focus, attendees will gain practical strategies for developing, expanding, and sustaining Music Therapy services across inpatient, outpatient, and survivorship settings—even in the face of common challenges such as lack of reimbursement. Presenters will share insights into community stakeholder engagement, therapist staffing, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary integration, and long-term program sustainability. This workshop will use case examples and interactive demonstrations to highlight how music therapy supports symptom management, emotional well-being, rehabilitation, and quality of life. It will also showcase innovative clinical interventions, including the world’s first live music therapy procedural support in gamma knife radiosurgery.
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the role of music therapy in oncology care across inpatient, outpatient, survivorship, rehabilitation and procedural support.
2. Analyze the key steps in developing and expanding a music therapy program—and how these strategies apply to other integrative disciplines—including planning, stakeholder engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Distinguish between interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary cotreatment approaches
4. Describe the importance of leveraging diverse expertise and perspectives in interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize patient outcomes, improve care coordination, and address complex health challenges.
5. Examine the key qualities needed for successful interdisciplinary collaboration in your own practice.
Target Audience:
This session is for clinicians, administrators, and patient advocates interested in interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing music therapy and other integrative services within their institutions.
Facilitators:
Susan Yaguda, MSN, RN. Susan’s original degree is in performing arts. After being drawn to a slightly different path, she enrolled in nursing school and has been a nurse for over 35 years, working in a wide variety of clinical settings throughout her career. While the Health Promotions nurse through the YMCA system, she developed and obtained funding for a cancer wellness program. This experience cemented her interest in working with the oncology population. Upon joining Atrium Health, Levine Cancer Institute in 2013, she has developed a robust, nationally known integrative oncology program, consisting of a consult clinic, Healing Arts, complementary modalities and numerous groups and classes. This role allows her to blend her love of the arts with healthcare. She serves on the editorial board for the patient advocate publication, Conquer Magazine, is on the Advisory Board for the Anticancer Lifestyle Program and serves as a consultant for CancerChoices. She is also a certified health coach through Duke Integrative Medicine. She presents nationally and internationally on evidence-based supportive care and nursing education.
Dean Quick, MT-BC, a board-certified music therapist since 2010, specializes in oncology and mental health. He is a music therapist and internship director at Levine Cancer in Charlotte and an Advanced Trainee in the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (GIM). Dean emphasizes music-based depth work for deep psychological and spiritual healing, integrating clinical music therapy with GIM and other techniques to foster self-awareness and empower individuals through music.
Maddie DePriest, MT-BC, NMT is a board-certified, neurologic music therapist who is driven by her passion to utilize music as a means of supporting patients, care partners, and teammates throughout their healing process. As a music therapist with Levine Cancer, Maddie specializes in adult oncology, neurorehabilitation, and mental health. Maddie is a provider grounded in trauma-informed philosophy, working to promote self-empowerment and healing for the whole person through the use of individualized, musical interventions. When Maddie is not songwriting or engaging in music itself, she is spending quality time with her family, friends, and further exploring the greater Charlotte area.
Kaley Marston, M.S. CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist at Levine Cancer Institute in the Department of Supportive Oncology in Charlotte NC. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of speech, language, swallowing, and cognitive changes as a result of cancer and cancer related treatments. Ms. Marston is a strong advocate for functional, person-centered therapy and educating the public on the impact of cancer and cancer treatments on quality of life throughout someone’s cancer journey. She has worked for Atrium Health for 10 years and has been at Levine Cancer Institute for the last 5 years.