Cancer is a complex disease to treat an patients can be overwhelmed by the number of care providers that they have to consult with. In this scenario, care navigators can provide significant support to patients and their family members.
"Patients may see many providers, including their primary care physician, the oncologist, a radiation oncologist, a pharmacy, and a slew of others, all of whom contribute immeasurably to the process,' said Joseph Alvarnas, MD. But who should carry the responsibility to navigate the patient through the entire cancer care journey, he asked.
Rebekkah Schear, MIA, agreed with Alvarnas that although there have been big strides on ideas for care coordination, implementation barriers exist. A very common encounter for patients, she said, is lack of communication between 2 of their providers who might be part of 2 different healthcare systems. "It's not uncommon that we hear that the patient and their family and caregivers are sort of being bumped around between their primary care provider, between the social worker that might be supporting them, their counselor or psychosocial expert, and their oncologist, the surgical expert, the surgeon that's helping them in addition to any of the other sort of non-clinical providers that are providing support practically and financially as well," she added.
Schear believes that trying to harmonize the team is very important and that reimbursement policies for the navigators, care managers, and the services is a necessary and important amendment for oncology care policies.
Michael Kolodziej, MD, added that care models such as the Oncology Care Model have set aside payment for a care navigator, but he is a firm believer that technology can play a vital role in this process. He emphasized, however, that we need to revamp the fragmentation that exists within information technology (IT) platforms.
What Will AI in Health Care Look Like in the Future?
July 10th 2025Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms oncology by enhancing clinical decision-making, improving patient outcomes, and shaping future health care training, as discussed by experts at Tennessee Oncology's “Tech Innovations in Community Oncology."
Read More
Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
Listen
Inside the Center's MDD Value Model and Its Use of Dynamic Pricing
May 13th 2025Larragem Raines, MS, of the Center for Innovation & Value Research, discusses the organization's major depressive disorder (MDD) open-source value model, dynamic pricing, and the future role of artificial intelligence in care.
Listen
Practical Considerations for AI in Community Oncology
July 8th 2025Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms oncology by enhancing decision-making, improving patient care, and streamlining operations, while addressing challenges in data accuracy and equity, said speakers at the Tennessee Oncology “Tech Innovations in Community Oncology."
Read More
Driving Value via Outcomes-Based Pricing and EHR Interoperability: Tyler Sandahl, PharmD
July 7th 2025Tyler Sandahl, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at Mayo Clinic, discussed the complexities of alternative payment models for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell and bispecific therapies and the need for improved data sharing in cancer care.
Read More
What Will AI in Health Care Look Like in the Future?
July 10th 2025Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms oncology by enhancing clinical decision-making, improving patient outcomes, and shaping future health care training, as discussed by experts at Tennessee Oncology's “Tech Innovations in Community Oncology."
Read More
Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
Listen
Inside the Center's MDD Value Model and Its Use of Dynamic Pricing
May 13th 2025Larragem Raines, MS, of the Center for Innovation & Value Research, discusses the organization's major depressive disorder (MDD) open-source value model, dynamic pricing, and the future role of artificial intelligence in care.
Listen
Practical Considerations for AI in Community Oncology
July 8th 2025Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms oncology by enhancing decision-making, improving patient care, and streamlining operations, while addressing challenges in data accuracy and equity, said speakers at the Tennessee Oncology “Tech Innovations in Community Oncology."
Read More
Driving Value via Outcomes-Based Pricing and EHR Interoperability: Tyler Sandahl, PharmD
July 7th 2025Tyler Sandahl, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at Mayo Clinic, discussed the complexities of alternative payment models for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell and bispecific therapies and the need for improved data sharing in cancer care.
Read More
2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512