Panel Discussion

Is there anything like an ideal patient portal that can cater to a broad range of patients? According to Rebekkah Schear, MIA, what patient portals lack is a holistic approach toward the patient.

Cancer is a complex disease to treat an patients can be overwhelmed by the number of care providers that they have to consult with. In this scenario, care navigators can provide significant support to patients and their family members.

Jennifer Malin, MD, staff vice president, Clinical Strategy, Anthem, said that while there are a lot of quality measures being developed by several organizations, care gaps persist.

When comparing a private practice with a larger healthcare system, Linda Bosserman, MD, assistant clinical professor and staff physician, City of Hope, said that the challenges can run across the system.

Measuring quality is important in determining whether patients are getting the appropriate care they need, and according to Linda Bosserman, MD, assistant clinical professor and staff physician, City of Hope, quality measures should cater to the patient’s unique needs.

From a health plan perspective, the key to effectively using electronic health records, or EHRs, is to leverage the infrastructure in a manner that takes the burden away from the physician and his or her practice, said Jennifer Malin, MD, staff vice president, Clinical Strategy, Anthem.

Data interoperability remains a challenge among practicing physicians and health plans, mainly because each system operates on its own standards and vocabulary, explained Jason C. Goldwater, MA, MPA, senior director, National Quality Forum.

Patient-reported outcome measures help providers and health plans better understand what the patient wants and needs; however, there are still many challenges standing in the way of reaching its full potential, said Jason C. Goldwater, MA, MPA, senior director, National Quality Forum.

Linda Bosserman, MD, assistant clinical professor and staff physician, City of Hope, explained that quality measurements allow patients access to important information that can help them make decisions about their care.

While the science of quality measurements is still in its infancy, Jennifer Malin, MD, staff vice president, Clinical Strategy, Anthem, said these metrics have allowed her and her team to open the door of communication among providers on how important quality truly is.

Jason C. Goldwater, MA, MPA, senior director, National Quality Forum, explained that quality metrics exist for 3 purposes: to ensure the best science and practices are being utilized, to set the bar for what good quality looks like, and to keep up with the evolving nature of healthcare.

A provider, a payer, and an expert from an organization that endorses quality measures in healthcare participated in a panel discussion on measuring the quality of care in oncology.

In this segment, moderator J David Haddox, DDS, MD, and panelists Jeffrey Dunn, PharmD, MBA; Peggy Johnson; and Burton VanderLaan, MD, FACP, discuss the role of abuse-deterrent formulations as one component of a multifaceted strategy to address nonmedical use of opioids.

Collaboration among multiple stakeholders is needed to address the problem of nonmedical use of opioids, as discussed by moderator J David Haddox, DDS, MD, and panelists Jeffrey Dunn, PharmD, MBA; Peggy Johnson; and Burton VanderLaan, MD, FACP.

In this segment, moderator J David Haddox, DDS, MD, vice president for health policy at Purdue, discusses the scope of the opioid problem with the panel, which consists of Jeffrey Dunn, PharmD, MBA, senior vice president and chief clinical officer at VRx Pharmacy Services; Peggy Johnson, current principal at MMJ Advisors and past chief pharmacy officer at Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey; and Burton VanderLaan, MD, FACP, medical director at Priority Health.

Robert Dubois, MD, PhD, shares findings from their recently published study in The American Journal of Managed Care, which showed that patients do not know they are being treated on predetermined pathways.

Brand Logo

259 Prospect Plains Rd, Bldg H
Monroe, NJ 08831

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences®

All rights reserved.

Secondary Brand Logo