Oncology Business Management | Specialty

The OncLive Oncology Business Management condition center page is a comprehensive resource for news and expert insights on business-focused updates and topics in oncology practices, including diversity efforts, telehealth, gaps in care, payment models, and more. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on updates and best practices with oncology business management.

ODAC Unanimously Recommends Approval of Tisagenlecleucel for Pediatric ALL

July 12th 2017

Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 10-0 today to recommend approval of a biologics license application for tisagenlecleucel (CTL019) for the treatment of patients aged 25 or younger with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

FDA Grants Full Approval to Blinatumomab for B-cell Precursor ALL

July 12th 2017

The FDA has granted a full approval to blinatumomab (Blincyto) as a treatment for adults and children with relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, regardless of Philadelphia chromosome status.

ODAC Recommends Approval of Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin for Newly-Diagnosed AML

July 11th 2017

The FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted 6-1 in favor of approving gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg) in combination with daunorubicin and cytarabine for the treatment of patients with newly-diagnosed CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia.

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.

Time to Focus on Succession Planning as Retirements Loom

July 10th 2017

Joliet Oncology-Hematology decided to create new governance and compensation structures and eventually elected a new president.

Retailing Finds a Small Niche in the Independent Clinic

July 10th 2017

Whether the practice is large, with a boutique staffed by a full-time employee, or small, with an unmanned rack in the waiting room, it isn’t uncommon for a clinic to try selling nonmedical products to patients.

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.

Nanotech Remains a Robust Research Focus

July 7th 2017

The nanotechnology sector has had its share of disappointments in the arena of oncology therapeutics. Nevertheless, the FDA is reviewing a new drug application for a novel compound and numerous investigational agents are in the pipeline.

MedPAC's Drug Price Solution May Be a Problem in Disguise

July 4th 2017

Over the past 3 years, there has been a growing chorus of complaint about the rising costs of medications, particularly in oncology.

Early Access Programs: Look at the Facts, Not the Rhetoric

July 3rd 2017

The impact of the Trump administration's agenda is being felt in the healthcare arena, prominently in the oversight for drug approvals.

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.

How a Northwestern Practice Gained by Accepting Patients of All Means

June 28th 2017

Cancer Care Northwest made a successful bet on going fully independent and became a dominant provider in its market.

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.

Administrators Say OCM Monthly Payments Won't Cover Costs of Improved Care

June 27th 2017

Practices in CMS’ Oncology Care Model are individually receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in new annual revenue, but physicians and administrators are not exactly celebrating the influx of cash.

FDA Approves Subcutaneous Rituximab for Blood Cancers

June 22nd 2017

The FDA has approved subcutaneous rituximab (Rituxan Hycela) for the treatment of adults with previously untreated and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma, previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and previously untreated and previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

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.

Keeping the Pathway Focus on Treatment Instead of Cost Will Ensure the Best Care

June 11th 2017

A divide has developed between pathways that primarily serve physicians and those that cater to payers that are trying to rein in costs.

Is Healthcare Ready for an Uber-Type Patient Application?

June 10th 2017

Genomics, proteomics, precision analytics, Big Data analysis, and artificial intelligence now in use or in late phases of development can help healthcare providers to achieve the promises of the Triple Aim of medicine: improve clinical outcomes for all, reduce total cost of care for the populations served, and improve patient experiences