September 26, 2018
Approximately 90% of oncology patients require a complete blood count (CBC) when they visit their oncologist for the first time. The CBC is used to evaluate a patient’s overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia.1 The test is especially critical in oncology, where cell counts can help guide […]
Read MoreJuly 17, 2018
By Marcus Neubauer, MD | July 2018 Since July of 2016, roughly 187 oncology practices across the country have been participating in the Oncology Care Model (OCM), the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) new program designed to reduce the cost of care while improving quality and patient outcomes. Sixteen practices in The US […]
Read MoreJune 11, 2018
By David C. Fryefield, MD | June 2018 Radiation oncologists have been operating in a very challenging landscape for quite some time―one that has created unpredictable revenue streams for providers and made the delivery of quality care more difficult. Providers are under pressure from payers to reduce the number of treatments based on clinical trials […]
Read MoreMay 15, 2018
Those of us in the cancer community know that progress in the fight against cancer is often measured in very small steps. Certainly since I finished my fellowship, that has been the case. Over the last 30 years, treatment for many deadly cancers has usually involved substituting one chemotherapy drug for another, buying a patient […]
Read MoreApril 27, 2018
Community oncology practices today face an increasingly complex web of government rules and regulations that can often inhibit practice success or viability. This complexity is having a direct impact on access to quality cancer care. Eleven years ago, when I began my journey with The US Oncology Network (The Network), nearly 88% of all cancer […]
Read MoreMarch 26, 2018
Oncology is dramatically different today than when I entered the field 12 years ago. Practices are experiencing seismic changes in their environment and facing complex issues not previously encountered. While we cannot control the volatile landscape, strategic planning enables practices to prepare for what is coming, to take advantage of opportunities, and to set a […]
Read MoreFebruary 2, 2018
Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) play a vital role in supporting practices across The US Oncology Network (The Network) delivering high quality care to patients. APPs are healthcare providers, including Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants, who have advanced education and are licensed in the state where they practice, and certified nationally. In oncology, these highly trained […]
Read MoreJanuary 11, 2018
By Barry Brooks, MD | January 2018 To remain strong and viable in today’s evolving healthcare landscape, practices must continually forge new relationships, embrace innovative tools and technologies, and seek more efficient ways of doing business and delivering care. One of the most important developments I have seen over my career is the growing importance […]
Read MoreNovember 29, 2017
By Diana Verrilli | November, 2017 Over the last several years, many promising new cancer therapies have come to the forefront. The pipeline of new cancer drugs has never been richer, and exciting new developments in radiation technologies are providing new innovative treatments that are more precise and effective than ever before. Unfortunately, […]
Read MoreNovember 3, 2017
By Neelima Denduluri, M.D. | October, 2017 In my career as a medical oncology and breast cancer specialist, I have seen great advancements in the treatment of breast cancer with innovative new drugs and therapy. The outlook for breast cancer patients has never been better, as promising new developments are leading to more […]
Read MoreSeptember 29, 2017
I’ve seen great advancements occur over the last several decades in diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy, and today they are vital components of cancer care. Roughly 60 percent of patients undergo radiation and, as technology advances, there may be even more uses for it in the future. How radiation therapy is used Radiation therapy […]
Read MoreAugust 30, 2017
Public awareness of hereditary cancer syndromes has come to the forefront over the last several years, due in part to celebrity disclosures. Community-based oncology practices play an increasingly important role in identifying patients and families who are at hereditary risk for cancer. Preventing cancer, not just treating it Genetic testing is an important part of […]
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