Maggie L. Shaw

Amrish Selvam is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh whose research and career interests lay in ophthalmology and who volunteers with the UPMC Vision Institute’s mobile eye clinic, the eyeVan.

A social-impact startup, Pittsburgh-based Fabric Health is adept at using community engagement to help members and their families navigate the complex world of health care—meeting customers where they are at, knowing time is often their most valuable resource.

Delandistrogene moxeparvovec-rokl (Elevidys; Sarepta Therapeutics) is currently approved to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy in 4- and 5-year-old patients who have a confirmed DMD gene mutation.

In this interview with Katie Cecconi, community service program coordinator at the UPMC Vision Institute, we learn more about the institute’s mobile eye care initiatives and how its services are working to overcome care equity gaps.

A qualitative interview study gauged patients’ experiences with belantamab mafodotin, which is used to treat relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) following failure on at least 4 prior therapies.

Outcomes between 2 patients groups affected by uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and food insecurity were compared for change in hemoglobin A1C after 1 year of participation.

A multidisciplinary team has proposed respiratory care guidance for pediatric and adult patients living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in the United Kingdom (UK), with these recommendations meant to optimize DMD care day to day and in acute episodes.

This year’s top content from the annual San Antonino Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is concentrated in 3 areas: health equity, benign breast disease, and fertility preservation following diagnosis.

Following implementation of low-dose rituximab as standard of care for muscle-specific kinase–positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG), a hospital evaluated the treatment’s efficacy over a 2-year period.

While the Enhancing Oncology Model is the successor of the Oncology Care Model, it includes some very real challenges for participating practices, explained Lalan Wilfong, MD, senior vice president of payer and care transformation at The US Oncology Network.

In breast cancer coverage this year, topline results from the phase 3 NATALEE trial made waves in March, with our other most-read content in the space covering an expanded indication for abemaciclib, revised screening recommendations, a new potential treatment to reduce radiation exposure, and the benefits of diet and exercise on patient outcomes.

In September, The American Journal of Managed Care® joined 4 individuals whose involvement with UPMC Health Plan, a Strategic Alliance Partner of AJMC®, has proved to be instrumental in furthering health equity and providing high-quality care in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland.

At this year’s Community Oncology Alliance Payer Exchange Summit on Oncology Payment Reform, leaders from across all facets of the cancer care space engaged in thought-provoking panel discussions and debates. They have a common aim: to optimize cancer care delivery and ensure patients have a positive experience throughout their cancer care journey.

A one-size-fits-all approach to alternative payment models (APMs) often isn’t very fair to community practices, said Miriam Atkins, MD, FACP, president of the Community Oncology Alliance.

This year’s top content in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) space focused on a novel gene therapy approval, the high cost of care for this genetic disorder, and steps forward in other treatments.

Join Shiela Plasencia, director of practice support, Community Oncology Alliance (COA) as she explores improving health treatments for marginalized communities and how to apply it to the oncology population.

Peter Katzmarzyk discusses contributing factors to obesity and the chronic disease preventions and implementations collaborative care teams like nutritionists, psychologists, and physical therapists should support.

From the 2023 Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Nexus meeting, held in October, expert interviews and insightful updates on the Inflation Reduction Act, gene therapy affordability and access, and the 340B Drug Pricing Program comprise the conference highlights.

Justin Bekelman, MD, director of the Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation, sat with our hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, for our final episode of 2023 to discuss the importance of collaboration between academic medicine and community oncology and testing innovative cancer care delivery in these settings.

In our coverage of myasthenia gravis this year, the top developments show the effects of COVID-19 continue to be uncovered, a new FDA approval for generalized disease, and assessing patient outcomes following uncontrolled disease and respiratory distress.

Two doses of batoclimab were evaluated for their effectiveness in patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) who were seropositive.

Also known as Sanfilippo syndrome, this rare genetic syndrome has no known cures and what current treatment options are available are expensive and limited in supply.

Shiela Plasencia, director of practice support, Community Oncology Alliance (COA), discusses health equity initiatives and the challenges that follow.

This year’s top content from the fall meeting of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) highlights both treatment gains made through innovative referral, screening, and assistance initiatives and the ongoing need to improve health equity and research inclusivity.

This phase 3 study investigated sacituzumab govitecan, a Trop-2–directed antibody-drug conjugate, vs treatment of physician’s choice in pretreated patients who have endocrine-resistant hormone receptor–positive/HER2-negative breast cancer, the most common form of breast cancer.

At last year’s San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, POSITIVE trial primary outcome data were presented on breast cancer–free interval, with women who paused endocrine therapy to attempt pregnancy having a similarly small rate of recurrence vs external controls from the SOFT and TEXT trials: 8.9% vs 9.2%.

Despite there being a great demand for data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity in the cancer space, individuals who identify as a sexual and gender minority remain poorly represented.

Many questions remain surrounding accurately classifying the risk of developing invasive breast cancer associated with the benign breast disease diagnoses of nonproliferative lesions and proliferative changes without atypia.