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.

More Data Needed to Eliminate the Guesswork In Using Evidence Blocks

May 11th 2016

The Evidence Blocks developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Center make up one of the most ambitious attempts so far to incorporate data from multiple platforms to create a resource with broad applicability for the healthcare community.

Employers Say That Value Means Working Directly With Oncology Providers

May 10th 2016

Oncology practices may soon find themselves working directly with employers on benefits and treatment strategies.

Unionized Town Simplifies Management for Nevada Practice

May 8th 2016

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada's exponential expansion is, in part, a result of both the surging local headcount and the national trend toward oncology practice consolidation.

Capitol Hill Fight Against Medicare Rule Change Gathers Steam

May 5th 2016

Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have responded to urgings from the oncology sector that they join in the effort to quash a proposal to change the rule on physician pay under Medicare Part B.

FDA Grants Blinatumomab Priority Review for Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

May 4th 2016

The FDA has granted a priority review to an application to expand the approval of blinatumomab (Blincyto) to include the treatment of pediatric and adolescent patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Some Prefer Pay Cuts to Inflexible CMS Metrics

May 2nd 2016

For most oncologists at Texas Oncology, healthcare quality reporting to the CMS went smoothly, but serious complications were encountered.

Enzalutamide Pricing Debate Goes to Washington

May 1st 2016

Enzalutamide (Xtandi) pricing heightens the likelihood of pre-authorization requirements and cost-sharing arrangements that may be financially burdensome, ruinous, or simply impossible to meet.

Dr. Rubin on Advantages With Whole-Exome Sequencing

April 28th 2016

Mark A. Rubin, MD, professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, vice chairman for Experimental Pathology, director, Translational Research Laboratory Services, Weill Cornell Medicine and New-York Presbyterian, discusses the advantages of whole-exome sequencing and how it compares with targeted sequencing.

FDA Grants Nivolumab Breakthrough Designation for Head and Neck Cancer

April 25th 2016

The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to nivolumab as a single-agent treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck following a platinum-based therapy.

Let's Not Compromise on the Need to Strengthen Preclinical Research

April 21st 2016

Clinical oncologists may not be fully aware of shortcomings in the laboratory research paradigm that have the potential to distort the scientific underpinnings of vital cancer studies.

Waste and Abuse Hidden Behind Unnecessarily Large Packaging

April 21st 2016

Peter Bach, MD, is heading the Evidence Driven Drug Pricing Project, a 3-year initiative that will pilot value- and indication-based payment structures for drugs, funded by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.

Using Multiple Biomarkers Improves Risk Prediction for Breast Cancer

April 19th 2016

The addition of three biological markers to conventional breast cancer risk models significantly improved the ability to distinguish women at high and low risk.

Pembrolizumab Granted Breakthrough Designation for Hodgkin Lymphoma

April 18th 2016

The FDA has granted a breakthrough therapy designation to pembrolizumab as a treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

It's Time to Prove Value and Move the Needle on Quality

April 15th 2016

Jennie R. Crews, MD, FACP, discusses how her 18 years of diverse activity in the oncology sector would translate into strong leadership for the Association of Community Cancer Centers and its membership of 20,000.

Aligning Physician Compensation to Value Is No Easy Task

April 14th 2016

Aligning physician compensation to performance can be a dicey matter, as it is difficult to reach a consensus on how to measure physician success. However, a number of oncology practices have been developing systems for doing this and achieving success.

FDA Grants Nivolumab Priority Review in Hodgkin Lymphoma

April 14th 2016

The FDA has granted nivolumab (Opdivo) a priority review for use in previously treated patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma.

Caution Advised in Leaping on the Liquid Biopsy Bandwagon

April 12th 2016

A profusion of so-called â€œliquid biopsyâ€ tests that extract circulating tumor cells, cell-free DNA, or exosomes from blood and urine are under investigation at research institutions and startup firms, and in some cases are already being used to supplement or replace traditional biopsies.

FDA Approves Venetoclax for CLL

April 11th 2016

The FDA approved the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (Venclexta) for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who have a 17p deletion (del[17p]), following at least 1 prior therapy.

FDA Grants Atezolizumab Priority Review in Lung Cancer

April 11th 2016

The FDA has granted a priority review to atezolizumab for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonâ€“small cell lung cancer who express PD-L1 and have progressed after a platinum-containing regimen.

Cost of Biologics Therapy Soars Above Other Cancer Expenses

April 6th 2016

Biologic chemotherapy spending soared several hundred percent from 2004 to 2014; but despite rising treatment costs in general, oncology spending kept pace with spending for all categories of medical care.