Interviews

For some living with HIV, old wounds have reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic, explained Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health and director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies.

Brenden O’Hara, RPh, BCACP, from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, talked about the pharmacist’s role in improving outcomes in value-based contracts and why collaboration is needed.

Christina Polomoff, PharmD, BCACP, BCGP, discusses the differences between manufacturer coupons and cash cards and how they financially affect health plans and pharmacies.

Jonathan Silverberg, MD, PhD, MPH, is an author of the poster, “Efficacy of Ruxolitinib Cream Among Patients With Atopic Dermatitis Based on Previous Medication History: Pooled Results From Two Phase 3 Studies,” which will be presented at this year’s American Academy of Dermatology Virtual Meeting Experience (AAD VMX).

Several barriers continue to impede the transition to value-based payment, particularly administrative and clinical data connectivity, transparency of quality metrics and quality measures, and prioritization of social determinants of health.

Nicola Hanania, MD, MS, explains how some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face challenges when it comes to affording treatment for the disease.

Russell Langan, MD, chief of Surgical Oncology and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery at Saint Barnabas Medical Center discusses the workflow of a cloud-based data management platform for patients with pancreatic cysts.

Lalan Wilfong, MD, executive vice president, Value Based Care & Quality Programs, Texas Oncology, and cochair, Payment Reform, Community Oncology Alliance, speaks on the evolution of remote monitoring in cancer care and how value-based oncology may look in the near future.

Edward Licitra, MD, PhD, medical oncologist, Astera Health Partners, discusses his thoughts on what value-based cancer care entails and how physicians can best align their goals with those of the patient and health plan.

Kathy Oubre, MS, chief operating officer of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, discusses cost-saving implications of biosimilars in oncology, as well as several barriers that continue to impede their use.

Ted Okon, MBA, executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, discusses what influence the new administration may have on payment reform in oncology and issues regarding the 340B drug pricing program.

Jeff Patton, MD, CEO, OneOncology, and chairman of the board, Tennessee Oncology, discusses what influence COVID-19 will have on discussions at the Community Oncology Conference 2021, as well as takeaways he hopes audience members and participants gain from the conference.

To effect change, we must address health care disparities beyond the individual level, says Perry N. Halkitis, PhD, MS, MPH, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health and director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies.

Lalan Wilfong, MD, executive vice president, Value Based Care & Quality Programs, Texas Oncology, and co-chair, Payment Reform, Community Oncology Alliance, discusses implications of quality metrics in cancer care and what perspectives on the topic he is looking forward to hearing at the 2021 Community Oncology Conference.

Dinesh Kapur, MD, chair, OneCouncil, and managing partner, Eastern Connecticut Hematology and Oncology (ECHO), speaks on efforts made by by community oncology practices to improve minority representation in oncology clinical trials and implications of the COVID-19 pandemic ahead of the 2021 Community Oncology Conference.

Russell Langan, MD, chief of Surgical Oncology and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, details the implementation of the center's Pancreatic Cyst Surveillance Program.

This video excerpt is our second entry in a 6-part series on individuals and international organizations working to bring local and global awareness to the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic, which is marking its 40th anniversary this year.

Kathy Oubre, MS, chief operating officer, Pontchartrain Cancer Center, explores US adoption of biosimilars ahead of her panel discussion at the 2021 Community Oncology Conference, as well as what sessions she’s looking forward to attending.

Bo Gamble, Director of Strategic Practice Initiatives, Community Oncology Alliance, highlights his questions for the keynote speakers of the 2021 Community Oncology Conference, and takeaways he hopes audience members gain from the sessions.

Anita Makkenchery, MD, MPH, and Brandy Farrar, PhD, discuss the potential for community health workers to become a regular part of the health care system in a post-COVID-19 world.

Investing further in the development of health care staff in often overlooked aspects, such as digital technology and business acumen, can lead to incremental differences in engagement and productivity.

Ted Okon, MBA, executive director, Community Oncology Alliance (COA), speaks on the most significant challenges members encountered in the past year managing the COVID-19 pandemic ahead of the 2021 Community Oncology Conference.

Jeff Patton, MD, CEO, OneOncology, chairman of the board, Tennessee Oncology, discusses what audience members should expect from the Community Oncology Conference 2021 and sessions he is looking forward to.

Dayna Clark, MPH, and Kalpana Ramiah, DrPH, MSc, explain why patient trust is important for hospitals to have, as discussed in their poster presented at the 2021 AcademyHealth National Health Policy Conference.

Amid the pandemic, organizations utilizing a value-based care reimbursement model may be better positioned than those using a fee-for-service model to delineate high-risk patients and manage their care, particularly for long-term symptoms that may arise due to COVID-19.

Anita Makkenchery, MD, MPH, and Brandy Farrar, PhD, discuss how community health workers can address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

With a marked increase in virtual care use amid the COVID-19 pandemic, several strategies can continue to evolve its effectiveness and adoption. This includes addressing disparities in usage among older populations and underserved communities, as well as improving home monitoring and interoperability.

To adapt to a new requirement this year for all US hospitals to publicly post the costs for treatment services under every insurance plan, health systems should be prepared to field the range of questions that consumers may ask on issues such as outcomes data and cost for prospective services.

Sachin Jain, MD, MBA, FACP, explains why health systems shouldn't be afraid to analyze health care disparities within their own institutions.

Anita Makkenchery, MD, MPH, and Brandy Farrar, PhD, discuss how the pandemic has highlighted the need for community health workers and what sets them apart from other health care professionals.