Accelerating Life-Changing Therapy Through Project Management

Accelerating Life-Changing Therapy Through Project Management


CAR-T therapy saves lives. This highly personalized form of cancer immunotherapy modifies an individual patient’s T cells (a type of white blood cell), effectively “programming” them to attack cancer cells. Following FDA approval in mid-2017, Mayo Clinic chose to be among the first cancer centers to provide this innovative treatment. A comprehensive and far-reaching project initiative followed.

 

Challenge

This strategically important assignment required the application of project management methods in developing new operational processes, building reliable external collaborations and implementing clinical as well as logistical innovation. Facing tight time constraints, the project team sought to create and launch an entirely new service line, while consistently reflecting Mayo’s primary value of placing the patients' needs first.

In partnership with Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine, ME&C’s project managers focused the team around a comprehensive set of interrelated activities. This cross-functional effort resulted in original process designs, new governance structures, quality assurance safeguards and effective training efforts.

Mayo Clinic successfully launched the new CAR-T service line in three locations in a timely fashion. By using project management methodologies the team met aggressive launch schedules, enhanced consensus-based decisions and built strong interdepartmental cooperation. Mayo Clinic is now well positioned to grow and evolve this new service line.

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