Interviews

Mabel Mardones, MD, board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who specializes in breast cancer at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, emphasizes the importance in identifying patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2–) breast cancer with unmet treatment needs.

Mei Wei, MD, an oncologist specializing in breast cancer at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, discusses advancements in breast cancer treatment, highlighting CDK4/6 inhibitors and antibody-drug conjugates as promising alternatives to traditional therapies.

Glenn Balasky, executive director of Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, emphasizes the need for government support to sustain telehealth and suggested a hybrid model combining centralized high-tech care with remote monitoring to address the challenges of providing innovative care in rural settings.

Viet Le, PA-C, Intermountain Health, gives insights into the benefits cardio-renal-metabolic care models provide for patients in need.

Navdeep Tangri, MD, PhD, FRCP, University of Manitoba, speaks to the value of population health strategies in clinical approaches to care delivery for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

The current research focus for Umit Tapan, MD, Boston Medical Center, is reducing disparities in lung cancer care and improving treatment access, in particular for immunotherapy and targeted treatments.

Seth Southwick, MHA, Intermountain Health, discusses in detail the power of leveraging community partnerships and advanced data analytic systems to optimize kidney care.

At our recent Institute for Value-Based Medicine® event in Boston, Hari Deshpande, MD, Yale Cancer Center, presented on predictive biomarkers in sarcomas.

Miriam Godwin, CMMI, National Kidney Foundation, touches on the gaps in kidney care that public policy can address, as well as the importance of thinking about the long-term benefits of value-based care.

In this interview from our Institute for Value-Based Medicine® event in Boston, we speak with Michael Hassett, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, on the clinical significance and cost implications of HER2 in the breast cancer space.

The theme of our inaugural regional Institute for Value-Based Medicine® event in Boston was, “Elevating Value in Cancer Care,” and one of the 4 panel discussions focused on the important contributions of pharmacists and the practice of pharmacy to the oncology space.

Value-based agreements come with risks and benefits, but a health system’s existing facilities and initiatives can help support the goals associated with them, JT Lew, PharmD, MBA, a managed care pharmacist at MultiCare Health System, explained.

There are some short-lived, common adverse events for patients using cannabis, but also some more dangerous, less common ones in chronic users, explained Marie Parish, PharmD, BCOP, of Mayo Clinic.

The pharmacist is a critical member of the care team to help manage patients on treatment and contain costs of cancer care, said Kirollos S. Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FACCC, director of pharmacy, Minnesota Oncology.

After a small number of practices joined the Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) in 2023, CMS has made some changes and opened the model back up for new practices to join.

Linda Bosserman, MD, PhD, FASCO, FACP, of City of Hope, discusses the implementation of cutting-edge cancer treatments, emphasizing the need for effective information sharing and collaboration to improve cancer care access for diverse populations.

Andrew Leitner, MD, of City of Hope, discusses the challenges of integrating supportive care into cancer treatment and proposes solutions to improve access for patients from underserved communities.

Linda Bosserman, MD, PhD, FASCO, FACP, of City of Hope, emphasizes the need for a sustainable health care system that balances cost with care so patients can achieve the best survival and quality of life after a cancer diagnosis.

Strategies for integrated delivery networks (IDNs) to manage rising biologic medication costs while ensuring financial sustainability and patient outcomes are discussed during an interview with Elie M. Bahou, PharmD, MBA, senior vice president and system chief pharmacy officer at Providence.

Andrew Leitner, MD, City of Hope, highlights the essential role of supportive care in improving the quality of life of patients with cancer undergoing treatment.

JT Lew, PharmD, MBA, managed care pharmacist at MultiCare Health System, spoke to the impacts of processes such as prior authorization and step therapy requirements in the realm of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Linda Bosserman, MD, PhD, FASCO, FACP, of City of Hope, highlights challenges in cancer care, focusing on improving access to accurate diagnoses and treatments, promoting patient-centered approaches, and fostering collaboration to achieve better outcomes.

Joseph Alvarnas, MD, of City of Hope, discusses how he envisions the future of cancer care over the next decade.

Chris Barton, LCSW, of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, explores how the Youth Behavioral Health Strategy program focuses on addressing the specific needs of youth with mental health and substance use issues through a comprehensive approach.

The legalization of recreational marijuana in Minnesota has created daily conversations about how to incorporate the use of cannabis into treatment plans for patients with cancer, explained Marie Parish, PharmD, BCOP, of Mayo Clinic.

Dax Kurbegov, MD, senior vice president of Sarah Cannon Cancer Network, discussed divides between payers, health systems, and oncology care providers, as well as the impacts these divides can have on patients.

As the pharmacist’s role has evolved in the last decade, they’ve become an important part of reducing costs and better managing patients, explained Scott Soefje, PharmD, MBA, BCOP, FCCP, FHOPA, assistant professor, Mayo Clinic College of Medicines and Science.

Sophia Humphreys, PharmD, director of formulary management at Sutter Health, discusses how group purchasing organizations (GPOs) influence integrated delivery networks (IDNs) and hospitals in making formulary decisions, including the adoption of biosimilars.