Jason Hammonds
President, The US Oncology Network
Findings presented at ASCO highlight scalable strategies to improve patient access and care delivery in community oncology
THE WOODLANDS, Texas, May 29, 2026 — Research presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting by The US Oncology Network (The Network), an organization dedicated to advancing cancer care in the community and supported by McKesson, found that new patient consult models in benign hematology led by advanced practice providers (APP) can accelerate access to care and increase capacity across diverse community oncology settings.
Across four community oncology practices within The Network, implementation of APP‑led new consult models resulted in substantial reductions in time to first appointment, and increased physician capacity. APPs assumed a growing share of new consult visits, helping streamline care delivery and optimize clinical resources while supporting continuity of care for patients with benign hematologic conditions.
“Ensuring more patients can access the right care, closer to home, is at the heart of community oncology,” said Leslie Busby, MD, chief medical officer, The Network. “This research shows what’s possible when practices leverage the expertise of nurse practitioners and physician assistants alongside their physicians — patients get faster access to care without compromising the coordinated model that practices have built.”
Those implications extend beyond clinical outcomes to how care teams are structured in practice.
“This research reinforces that access challenges across oncology reflect underlying operational and capacity dynamics within community practices,” said Eileen Vella, director, Advanced Practice Provider Services, The Network. “APP‑led consult models offer a scalable, oncology-wide solution that enables practices to expand access, optimize team design and build sustainable care models that meet growing patient demand.”
Study Methodology
The retrospective, multi-site analysis across four community oncology practices within The US Oncology Network evaluated APP-led new consult models in benign hematology clinics over implementation periods ranging from approximately one to four years. Across the four sites, the analysis captured data from more than 160 advanced practice providers — including nurse practitioners and physician assistants — and encompassed more than 12,500 new patient visits at the largest participating practice alone. Operational and clinical impact were measured using key performance indicators, including new consult volume, APP participation, time to first appointment, percentage of APP visits, and APP engagement, using internal scheduling systems, productivity dashboards, and operational reports. Pre- and post-implementation comparisons assessed changes in access and throughput, with structured patient and physician feedback providing qualitative context on perceived benefits, challenges, and evaluating scalability across diverse practice settings.
Other Research and Activities at ASCO 2026
Notably, The Network’s researchers are also contributing to the conversation around value-based care delivery. In a poster presentation, “Rethinking cancer attribution in oncology VBC models: E&M vs treatment-based approach,” researchers examined the complexities of cancer attribution in oncology value‑based care models, comparing episode attribution based on evaluation and management visits with attribution based on treatment initiation. Using Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) performance period data (July 2023–June 2025) from participating practices across The Network, the analysis found that attribution challenges were more common in episodes initiated with oral therapies, underscoring the importance of continued evaluation of attribution methodologies as treatment patterns evolve.
Physicians across The Network are affiliated with more than 30 studies being presented at ASCO 2026 that highlight clinical and operational findings on a broad spectrum of topics. Additionally, Dr. Debra Patt, president of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and executive vice president, oncologist, and breast cancer specialist with Texas Oncology, a practice in The Network, will serve as a discussant during the ASCO Clinical Science Symposium, “Oncology 2.0: How Artificial Intelligence Is Closing the Information Gap—Or Is It?”
The Network is a part of McKesson, which has a broad portfolio of oncology and multispecialty solutions and partners that provide research, insights, technologies and services that help to address barriers and improve cancer and multispecialty care. At ASCO, McKesson-supported businesses including The Network, Ontada, and Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), are part of approximately 171 accepted abstracts and presentations. These are inclusive of oral and poster presentations, educational sessions, late-breaking studies and early-phase studies. Learn more about SCRI-affiliated studies and presentations and Ontada-affiliated abstracts.
Expert Panel on Community Oncology During ASCO 2026
Additionally, McKesson will be participating in a thought leadership panel hosted by Endpoints News on June 3, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET, titled, “Delivering Excellence, Close to Home.” Panelists include Jason Hammonds, president of Oncology & Multispecialty for McKesson, John Schuler MD, medical director and radiation oncologist with Compass Oncology, and Dr. Patt. Register and join the panelists as they share their insights and perspectives on what is working today—and what needs to evolve—to support and strengthen community oncology as a foundational component of the cancer care ecosystem.
About The US Oncology Network
The US Oncology Network (The Network) brings together independent oncology providers to deliver connected care in local communities. The Network empowers practices to remain independent while benefiting from shared expertise, coordinated resources and the support of McKesson. By enhancing operational efficiency, The Network enables providers to focus on what matters most: their patients. From clinical trials and precision medicine to business support and practice growth, The Network equips practices with the tools they need to thrive in today’s complex healthcare landscape. Together, we’re supporting providers in delivering excellence in cancer care — all while driving innovation, expanding access and improving outcomes.
About McKesson Oncology & Multispecialty
Our Oncology & Multispecialty segment delivers a portfolio of integrated solutions that support patient care by accelerating drug development, expanding access to high-quality care close to home and ensuring life-saving therapies reach the patients who need them most. We provide practice management, technology solutions, specialty drug distribution, clinical trial and group purchasing services, along with pharmacy solutions for community-based oncology practices and multispecialty providers in retina and ophthalmology. We partner behind the scenes with healthcare providers in local communities, supporting their operations so that they can stay focused on who matters most — patients.
Media Contacts
Claire Crye, Communications
281-825-9927
claire.crye@mckesson.com
GCI Health on behalf of The US Oncology Network
Christine Murphy, Media Relations
201-230-9636 christine.murphy@gcihealth.com
by Jason Hammonds, president
2023 has been a landmark year for The US Oncology Network, marking new heights in our mission to provide premier care to patients in local communities across the nation. We’re proud to share more about what we’ve accomplished this year.
Expanding The Network’s footprint through both additions and renewals
In 2023, The US Oncology Network experienced a year of tremendous growth, adding six new practices and expanding into four new states and with this growth, our footprint has extended to over 600 sites of care across 30 states. We are committed to providing high-quality care close to home, and this growing footprint greatly enhances The Network’s ability to do so by providing practices with the resources to succeed and thrive, all while remaining independent. With more than 2,500 providers treating over 1.4 million patients annually, our belief that local cancer care is better care is being put into practice every day.
Not only is The Network adding new practices, but we are also pleased to share that we had six practices within The Network renew their agreements with us over the last 18 months, reaffirming that our commitment to provide each practice in The Network with tailored support and services that meet their needs is being accomplished.
Strategizing to meet the growing patient demand
Continued innovation in how we support practices in The Network is paramount for our organization. One of our areas of focus this year has been increasing access to the premier care provided in The Network. We know that demand for oncology care continues to rise, and we want to make sure that we are optimizing resources in order to meet this demand. As the demands on practices and staff evolve, so does our approach, such as effectively using advanced practice providers and leveraging telehealth technologies, and we’ve seen a shared dedication to this effort across practices in The Network. These efforts combined with our newly affiliated practices have resulted in an approximately 20% increase in patient visits across our practices from the prior year. We’re looking forward to continuing to work with each practice so that we can ensure patients – no matter their location – can receive high-quality cancer care.
Leading the conversation in oncology care
Thought leaders in The Network played a role in important conversations in oncology throughout the industry this year and were featured in nearly 250 publications, including OncLive, Journal of Clinical Pathways, American Journal of Managed Care, CURE, Targeted Oncology and Oncology Times, just to name a few. Topics ranged from increasing patient access, to the importance of physicians becoming advocates, to value-based care strategies.
And teams across our organization hosted a number of events for our community in The Network to come together to discuss industry trends and share best practices. This included The Network’s signature event, the Annual Conference, and other events like the National Policy Board Executive Committee Retreat, the Payer Transformation Summit, and more.
Delivering on our commitment to value-based care
The Network is proud that 12 practices and over 1,500 providers are participating in the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM). These practices committed to implementing all required EOM participant redesign activities (PRAs) at the 90-day mark and have focused on the core essentials of the model including care & treatment plans, initial drug initiatives, enrolling patients & billing MEOS (monthly enhanced oncology service payments), appropriately capturing comorbidities, and developing risk management strategies for the program. Through close collaboration with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) EOM leadership, we’ve partnered on engaging EOM Townhalls and strategic leadership meetings, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas and feedback that is driving innovative advancements in oncology treatment and patient care.
Another important value-based care initiative this year was the collaboration between The Network’s Texas Oncology and Carrum Health as they came together to provide exceptional breast cancer care to patients. This new collaboration offers a bundled package for breast cancer care that includes two years of coverage for chemotherapy, radiation, and symptom management from Texas Oncology. Texas Oncology is one of Carrum’s rigorously vetted Centers of Excellence, comprising high-value providers who prioritize patient-centric, evidence-based care nationwide. Carrum offers its employer clients access to pre-negotiated bundled prices, providing members with peace of mind and dedicated care navigators to help them navigate their treatment journey while reducing worrying about costs and administrative burdens.
From EOM to Carrum Health and over 90 other commercial Value Based Care (VBC) agreements, practices in The US Oncology Network continue to serve as leaders in VBC arrangements. These groundbreaking programs have galvanized our teams, unleashing a wave of innovation that is reshaping the future of community oncology care. We continue to partner with practices on VBC adoption, total cost improvement, proactive care management, and health equity all driving improved quality care for patients.
Transforming oncology research through collaboration
This year marked The Network’s first full year of our joint venture with Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), a partnership with the potential to transform oncology clinical research. Throughout this period, our primary focus has been on effectively navigating and maximizing the potential of this collaboration. SCRI is renowned for its expertise in clinical research and innovation, making it an ideal partner for The Network’s goal to provide more access to research and clinical trials in the community setting. Together, we are working to leverage our respective strengths and resources, aiming to enhance patient care and drive advancements in medical research. In 2023 year to date, we have participated in over 200 clinical trials across The Network and more than 800 patients have been enrolled in interventional, treatment studies. In this partnership, we are fostering a culture of collaboration, enabling us to explore new avenues and approaches in the pursuit of growing clinical trial access by expanding our trial menu and increasing patient enrollments. As we reflect on this milestone and look to next year, we are proud of the progress we have made and excited about the future possibilities that lie ahead.
Advancing precision medicine with biomarker testing
Over the past year, our precision medicine program pursued an important goal: increasing biomarker testing across practices in The Network to increase appropriate utilization of targeted therapies. This work aims to integrate cutting-edge precision medicine support and tools into practice workflows to ensure patients receive the most effective treatment possible. We have successfully implemented a genomic ordering module within iKnowMedSM G2 to help provide our oncologists with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) testing recommendations based on the patient’s diagnosis and stage. The program also established electronic interfaces with key labs to enable integration of genomic test results into iKnowMed in both PDFs and structured fields. Ultimately, the goal of the precision medicine team is to improve patient outcomes by providing our practices with the tools, support, and education needed to navigate the complexities of biomarker test selection and results interpretation. In the year ahead, the team will expand their work to include a precision medicine analytics platform to track key performance metrics such as testing rates by diagnosis and utilization of appropriate targeted therapies, and the implementation of a genetic testing screening tool within the iKnowMed workflow.
Looking forward
As you can see, there’s a lot of exciting things going on in The Network – and this is only a snippet of all that we are accomplishing together. I’m tremendously excited to continue to work together with practices in The Network to advance the oncology landscape and deliver high-quality care to all patients.