Latest Conference Articles

The second day of Patient-Centered Oncology Care® 2021 featured a panel discussion, “Oncology Care Transitions: Bridging the Gaps Across the Patient Journey.”

With the Oncology Care Model (OCM) slated to end in 2022, the successor model is still not in place. According to panelists, there is likely going to be a gap after OCM ends and the new model begins, but more importantly, practices should prepare for the new model to be mandatory.

The Oncology Care Model (OCM) is scheduled to end in just a few months, but with no new model in place to succeed it and practices still struggling during the pandemic, OCM should continue in its current form, said Kashyap Patel, MD, CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associations, current president of the Community Oncology Alliance, and co-chair of Patient-Centered Oncology Care®.

The pandemic has acted as a catalyst to increase the use of digital health and telemedicine, allowing providers to continue to deliver great care and even reach their rural patients, said Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, executive vice president of Texas Oncology.

In the opening sessions at the Patient-Centered Oncology Care® conference, held September 23-24 both virtually and in Nashville, Tennessee, speakers focused on addressing disparities by getting involved and engaged with the community.

Having the option of receiving care in their community instead of a large hospital located hours away is not only a benefit for many patients, but research is showing community oncology practices are a low-cost, high-quality provider of care, explained Jeff Patton, MD, executive chairman of Tennessee Oncology and CEO of OneOncology.

On the opening day of Patient-Centered Oncology Care, Robert Groves, MD, of Banner | Aetna, discussed the use of psychographics to predict health behavior in local populations.

Remote patient monitoring includes urgent care uses, long-term monitoring to help keep patients with cancer out of the hospital by monitoring the effects of oncology treatment at home, and even voice monitoring to check for altered mental status, said Elizabeth Kwo, MD, MBA, MPH, the deputy chief clinical officer at Anthem BCBS, and a speaker at the 10th anniversary of Patient-Centered Oncology Care® conference.

At the 10th anniversary meeting of Patient-Centered Oncology Care®, sessions will cover reducing disparities in cancer care, bringing clinical trials closer to the community, and expanding the scope of what the term "precision medicine" means in cancer care.

The Patient-Centered Oncology Care® (PCOC) conference, taking place in a hybrid format September 23-24, 2021, provides a space for oncologists, payers, health care system leaders, and others to delve into different possibilities to improve care, according to Joseph Alvarnas, MD, of City of Hope, editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based Oncology™ and co-chair of the meeting.

Looking forward to the 10th anniversary of the Patient-Centered Oncology Care® (PCOC) conference, taking place in a hybrid format September 23-24, 2021, Joseph Alvarnas, MD, of City of Hope, editor-in-chief of Evidence-Based Oncology™, and co-chair of the meeting, discusses the takeaways that attendees can expect to hear about in the areas of patient care, payment and quality, and multidisciplinary collaboration among specialists.

In a panel at the 5th annual Heart in Diabetes Conference, John McMurray, MD, and Javed Butler, MD, highlighted recent pharmacological developments in heart failure (HF) and offered insights on overlooked areas in the field.

A session at the 5th annual Heart in Diabetes Conference highlights the long-term risks of gestational diabetes.

New research presented at the 5th Heart in Diabetes Conference highlights potential therapeutic options for patients with COVID-19 and diabetes.

Increasing air pollution and climate change have an impact on respiratory health and mortality, explained speakers in 2 sessions on the environment and respiratory diseases at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2021.

Two posters reviewed impairment after COVID-19 infection and the use of pulmonary rehabilitation to address the symptoms.

Gefapixant successfully improved quality-of-life and reduced cough severity for patients with chronic cough vs placebo, according to 2 posters.

Health care and research need to do a better job of taking into account sex and gender differences that can affect disease, healthy behaviors, and care delivery, according to speakers at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2021.

Outcome inconsistency in randomized controlled trials for pneumonia could create issues for interpreting data and compiling research going forward, said Alexander Mathioudakis, MD, MRCP, at the European Respiratory Society annual meeting.

Adolescents and adults are affected differently by vaping and have different health concerns, according to Ilona Jaspers, PhD, director of toxicology and the deputy director of the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma, and Lung Biology at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina.

Dual bronchodilators have been shown to broadly improve symptoms and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

During the pandemic, interest in home monitoring grew, and research has shown it can be feasible for patients with interstitial lung disease, according to a presentation at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2021.

Tonya Winders, MBA, CEO and president of the Allergy & Asthma Network, lists the major current issues with current asthma care guidelines at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2021.

There are many conveniences to remote consultations, but they should be weighed against the disadvantages, said Hilary Pinnock, MD, professor and personal chair of primary care respiratory medicine for the Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Michael E. Wechsler, MD, a pulmonologist at National Jewish Health, explains the role that eosinophils play in everyday health and disease development.

At ERS 2021, Ilona Jaspers, PhD, discusses some of the major health concerns associated with teenagers and young adults vaping.

Hilary Pinnock, MD, talks about what her session at the European Respiratory Society International Congress 2021 will cover and other sessions that she's excited to check out.

Tonya Winders, MBA, CEO and president of the Allergy & Asthma Network, highlights what she is looking forward to at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress 2021.