Community Oncology Alliance (COA)

Alexa Simon Meara, MD, MS, discusses breaking down silos between academic and community oncology to improve immunotherapy care and irAE management.

Community oncology practices face major infrastructure and reimbursement gaps when delivering bispecific antibodies.

Pharmacists need better support to manage emotional strain tied to patient suffering, treatment costs, and care decisions, says Karen Fancher, PharmD, BCOP.

Johnetta Blakely, MD, MS, MMHC, discusses her new role as chief medical officer of the Community Oncology Alliance during an interview that will appear in the June issue of Evidence-Based Oncology.

Diana Verrilli, MS, of Navista breaks down the regulatory, payer, and cybersecurity pressures threatening community oncology practices—and maps a path forward.

Community oncology can navigate bispecific therapy rollout with staff training, clear handoffs, and reliable reimbursement, said Lekan Ajayi, PharmD.

Community oncology grapples with the logistics of bispecifics with step-up dosing straining staff and reimbursement, said Lekan Ajayi, PharmD.

Our associate editor recaps the annual conference of the Community Oncology Alliance, which took place just before Evidence-Based Oncology went to press. Look for full coverage in our June issue.

Community pharmacists must build scalable workflows as bispecific antibodies move into earlier lines and outpatient settings, notes Brooke Peters, PharmD, BCOP, of AON.

Eileen Ehret, BS, Navista, focuses on aligning quality improvement with patient safety, engaging all stakeholders, and creating safe spaces to drive change in oncology.

COA's Patient Advocacy Network, or CPAN, was featured in the "From Our Partners" section of the May issue of Evidence-Based Oncology.

AI drives community oncology transformation as practice leaders offer examples of what is working in community oncology to streamline calls, triage, and documentation.

As CAR T-cell therapy reaches community oncology, practice leaders discuss the challenges of payer hurdles, single case agreements, apheresis costs and whether to pursue accreditation.

Karen Fancher, PharmD, BCOP, emphasizes a pharmacist’s pivotal role in CLL care through communication, adherence strategies, and bridging patients with medical teams.

Rose Gerber, MS, explains how listening, personal experience, and small steps can transform patients into powerful advocates for their own care.

Lekan Ajayi, PharmD, explains how remote therapy monitoring keeps patients with cancer on track with their care and reduces emergency visits.

New research incorporating Flatiron Health and SEER data, confirms community oncology care matches or beats other settings, says Diana Verrilli, MS, Navista.

Community oncology delivers top-tier cancer care close to home, said Nicolas Ferreyros, COA, championing research, advocacy, and innovation to prove it.

COA’s Christine Pfaff, RPh, MBA, highlights clinical and operational innovation, AI adoption, and practice-sharing as keys to advancing community oncology care.

COA's annual conference hits Orlando April 28, focusing on AI, targeted therapy innovation, and state-level oncology advocacy, explains cochair Johnetta Blakely, MD, MS, MMHC.

The law stems from the case of a beneficiary of the state workers health plan, repeatedly denied an alternative cancer treatment, only to be approved after he was too ill to be a candidate.

Experts examine MFN pricing, the Great Healthcare Plan, ACA subsidies, PBM reform, and CMS talks in 2026.

Multiple provisions of interest to patients with cancer and their physicians were included in Congress' fiscal year 2026 package, including future funding for multicancer early detection testing and a package of reforms for pharmacy benefit managers.

Alongside physician collaboration, patient advocacy is essential to ensure clinical trials and public policy reflect patient-centered outcomes.

Patient–physician collaboration ensures trials reflect outcomes that matter to patients, according to Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, MPH.

The 2025 Community Oncology Conference, hosted by COA, reflected a commitment to patient-centered care, access, and innovation in community oncology.

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium fosters collaboration among experts, enhancing research and treatment strategies for breast cancer's complex landscape.

Oncology leaders warn that declining reimbursements and policy gaps threaten patient access and drive inequities in cancer care.

Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, MPH, spoke at SABCS about the importance of patient-investigator collaboration to enhance the clinical trial process.