Tony Hagen

Articles

Using Population Science to Fill in the Blanks

August 7th 2017

When it comes to treating older populations for cancer, it’s often the case that the only available data are based on trials of younger patients in far healthier condition.

ASCO Calls for Drug Pricing Reforms

July 19th 2017

As rumors circulate in Washington, DC, ASCO has called for efforts to reach a consensus on drug value to ensure affordability and access for patients and spur manufacturers to work harder on bringing innovative medicines to market.

Genentech Survey: Many Practices Unprepared for USP

July 10th 2017

In 2016, just a quarter of oncology practices considered themselves prepared for upcoming US Pharmacopeia (USP) standards on hazardous drug management, according to the 2017 Genentech Oncology Trend Report.

Texas Oncology Holds Physicians Accountable for Performance Improvement

July 8th 2017

About 5 years ago, Texas Oncology moved to improve accountability and pathways compliance by introducing a pay incentive that put 2% to 3% of a physician’s pay at risk.

The OCM Has Been Challenging, But Effective

June 28th 2017

There is a lack of hard data on practice performance that makes it difficult to understand where to make improvements so that goals under the OCM can be reached.

Clinical Data Can Mislead Without Meaningful Analysis

June 27th 2017

CMS has put so much emphasis on reported data that it is now paramount for oncology practices to understand how data should be sifted and interpreted to arrive at meaningful conclusions.

ASCO Says Senate Healthcare Bill Is a Disappointment

June 22nd 2017

Senate Republicans have introduced a healthcare bill that would revise many of the changes imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, cutting federal support for Medicaid and repealing the individual and employer mandates for having and providing insurance.

The Pressure for Drug Pricing Reform Intensifies

June 19th 2017

Regulatory actions have significantly reduced oncologists' pay in recent years, as part of the effort to improve value, but reforms are needed much higher up the drug distribution chain.

Hunting for Biomarkers in Paraffin Wax

June 13th 2017

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital are attempting to improve personalized medicine by analyzing DNA samples for known cancer biomarkers.

ASCO Partners With FDA to Incorporate Real-World Evidence Into Drug Decisions

June 9th 2017

In recognition of the potential for real-world evidence to significantly improve the way patients with cancer are treated, CancerLinQ has formed new partnerships with the US government that are expected to coordinate the sharing of patient data and incorporate that information into the FDA regulatory process.

Genomic Profiling Yields OS Benefit for Patients With Targeted Therapy Matches

June 4th 2017

Comprehensive genomic testing is not yet widespread, but a French study presented at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting suggested that DNA profiling can be of important value in advancing personalized medicine.

Pilot Study Will Test the Combined Power of Watson for Oncology and Cota

June 2nd 2017

Hackensack Meridian Health will pilot a study using IBM's Watson for Oncology and Cota.

QuintilesIMS Report: US Cancer Costs Are up $20 Billion Since 2011

June 1st 2017

Driven by newer agents, the cost of US oncology medicines has increased 88% over the past 5 years, according to the QuintilesIMS Institute Global Oncology Trends 2017 report.

ASCO 2017: Same-Day Dosing Cuts Costs

May 26th 2017

Researchers achieved cost savings and cut down on the amount of drug they had to throw away by pooling drug vials and dosing all patients with a given disease on the same day of the week, according to data released ahead of the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting.

ASCO 2017: Improving the Patient-Doctor Immunotherapy Discussion

May 22nd 2017

Ahead of this year's meeting, researchers are increasingly interested in the state of communication between patients and doctors on immunotherapy.

A Boot Camp Opens for Oncology Financial Navigators

May 18th 2017

Clara N. Lambert and the Association of Community Cancer Centers have created an online course called Financial Advocacy Boot Camp, which is designed to give experienced and novice financial navigators a review of essential knowledge for finding patient funds.

Practices Rush to Prepare for USP

May 9th 2017

Terra Universal, an environmental solutions company based in Fullerton, California, came to a point recently where it was no longer willing to sell and design clean-room setups for oncology practices unless potential clients first sat down with a consultant who could give them reliable guidance on what they needed.

Researchers Perform First Robotic Colonoscopy

May 9th 2017

Researchers have successfully performed autonomous retroflexion of a robotic capsule during colonoscopy in a subject animal, according to data presented during Digestive Disease Week 2017 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Software That Does More Than Document Care

May 6th 2017

Practices that meet the goals for improvement in savings and outcomes will be eligible for performance incentive payments.

Revised AHCA Bill Wins House Support, Moves on to Senate

May 5th 2017

House Republicans have passed a revised version of the American Health Care Act by a vote of 217 to 213, without any Democratic support, and despite strenuous opposition from the healthcare community.