PCOC Recap: Seven Leaders Define Patient-Centered Oncology Care

In September, Patient-Centered Oncology Care (PCOC) brought oncology leaders to Nashville, Tennessee, for 2 days of discussion on September 24 and 25. On this episode of Managed Care Cast, host Ashley Gallagher revisits the meeting through the answers of 7 speakers, each of whom was asked the same 2-part question: What does patient-centered oncology care mean to you right now, and how would you like to see it change in 5 years?

For Johnetta Blakely, MD, MS, MMHC, of Tennessee Oncology, the answer was simple: put the patient first. She said she hopes that never changes and that keeping the patient at the center as AI tools, pathways, regimens, and innovative treatments develop will ensure the field keeps doing the right thing. Her Tennessee Oncology colleague Wade Iams, MD, MSCI, said patient-centered care reaches well beyond treatment itself. In addition to extending patients’ lives, he said, clinicians must consider quality of life, how patients navigate the health care system, the communication and support they want, and the financial burden a cancer journey places on an entire family.

Ted Arrowsmith, MD, of OneOncology said patient-centered care starts with listening to each patient’s voice and goals and choosing treatment accordingly. In the future, he hopes that voice will become richer, more dynamic, and more complete as health care teams integrate multiple ways of hearing patients. Cathy Eng, MD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center added that personalization means not treating every patient with stage 4 disease as part of a single category. She emphasized making treatment intent clear, whether it is palliative or potentially curative, and paying close attention to symptoms and tolerability. She also hopes more practices will incorporate supportive care programs addressing quality of life, sleep, nutrition, exercise, and wellness.

Beth Faiman, PhD, CNP, of Cleveland Clinic pointed to shared decision-making, in which clinicians and patients agree on a treatment plan together. That approach is especially important in multiple myeloma, she said, where bispecific antibodies and CAR T-cell therapies carry physical, financial, social, and geographic burdens, and where connecting patients with manufacturer assistance resources can help. Larry Bilbrey of OneOncology looked to technology, explaining that traditional pathways could not account for factors such as whether a patient lives alone, socioeconomic concerns, age-related risk, or comorbidities. With AI-enabled clinical decision support, he said, care can be built around the patient and not the disease, and with good data management and a human in the loop, patients could receive customized treatment plans within 5 years.

Finally, Nicolas Ferreyros of the Community Oncology Alliance described patient-centered care as the right drug for the right patient at the right time in the setting where the patient wants to be treated. He noted that PCOC brings together stakeholders across the oncology ecosystem to discuss challenges and solutions.

Several themes ran through all 7 answers: The patient comes first, treatment starts with listening to the patient’s goals, and the burden of cancer extends into finances, family, and daily life. Looking ahead, the speakers want more personalized plans, better use of data, and care delivered where patients want it.

For more coverage of PCOC, visit AJMC.com/conferences/PCOC.

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