McKesson Specialty Health Hosts 2016 Onmark Fall Leadership Summit for Community-Based Oncology Practices

Business Wire

Attendees gained valuable insight into preparing their practices for value-based care

THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- McKesson Specialty Health hosted its 2016 Onmark Fall Leadership Summit in Orlando. The two-day event focused on how community oncology practices can transform in order to succeed in the evolving world of value-based care and payment reform. Committed to advancing the power of community oncology, McKesson Specialty Health provides providers with the tools and services to comprehensively manage their practices – strengthening their core operations, enhancing value-based care delivery, and expanding services for revenue growth.

“Every day takes us one step closer to value-based care, as the government brings forth new and more complex care and reimbursement models,” said Nick Loporcaro, president of McKesson Specialty Health. “To succeed in this evolving environment, community oncology practices must embrace this new reality and transform virtually every aspect of their operation to meet reporting requirements while remaining true to their core mission of delivering high-quality patient care. All stakeholders are in this together, so we are proud that The Onmark Fall Leadership Summit supports our community oncology customers by providing expertise, resources and strategies to help them build a strong foundation for this new way of doing business.”

This year, physicians and key practice staff gathered for The Summit to participate in expert-led educational sessions on clinical topics and practice management strategies focused on preparing practices for value-based care. Discussions also centered on critical industry, legislative and reimbursement changes. Attendees also had opportunities to network with peers and company leaders.

Every year, thought leaders offer their unique perspective on the evolving healthcare landscape for attendees. This year’s three keynote speakers were:

Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, widow of the late Dr. Paul Kalanithi, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoirs When Breath Becomes Air, and an internist and popular speaker on healthcare value, discussed her husband’s journey and the way it has affected her perspective on how to enhance end-of-life care with a patient-centered approach. “We can’t save every life,” said Dr. Kalanithi. “But we can ask questions, listen for the patient’s values, and fight to respect them. That is a real, tangible, achievable victory.”

Dr. Mark McClellan, physician and economist, spoke and answered several audience questions on the many facets of payment reform that community practices must navigate and understand in today’s landscape. As the former administrator of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. McClellan shared his unique perspective on CMS and its effort to reduce the cost of cancer care. He is also the former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Dr. Jay Want, Innovation Advisor for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, opened the event with a thought-provoking presentation on the difficulties of practice transformation and change management. Dr. Want is an internist who has served in a number of key roles in innovating the delivery of healthcare for better outcomes and value.

“I came to The Summit to talk about the critical role that community oncologists are playing in a transformative time both for healthcare reform and healthcare itself,” noted Dr. McClellan. “We are moving into new payment models. The world in the future is going to be different from a policy standpoint, but it’s going to be different because there is so much more that cancer care today – and in the future – can offer cancer patients than it did in the past. It is requiring us to rethink the way we deliver care and that’s requiring new models of payment to support higher quality care for patients at a lower cost.”

Other presenters at the event included key members of the McKesson Specialty Health leadership team who focus on transforming the practice of medicine to achieve better outcomes and value: Michael Seiden, M.D., chief medical officer for McKesson Specialty Health and The US Oncology Network; Diana Verrilli, VP/GM of Managed Care, Quality & Provider Solutions for McKesson Specialty Health; and Marcus Neubauer, M.D., medical director of Oncology Services for McKesson Specialty Health and The US Oncology Network.

“The transition to alternative payment models requires significant practice transformation,” noted Diana Verrilli. “While the future of payment methods for oncology care is still evolving, we do know evidence-based therapies that deliver the best outcomes while being economically responsible will be required. We are committed to investing in our community oncology practices by developing innovative solutions that empower them to meet these requirements and thrive in the new healthcare landscape.”

The day before the main meeting, McKesson hosted its 2nd Annual Oral Oncolytics Summit. Today roughly half of oncology practices have in-office dispensing (IOD) capabilities, providing important benefits to both patients and providers. However, the IOD market has become extremely competitive, making it difficult for oncology practices to provide this service. The Oncolytics Summit helped participants develop success strategies for both experienced IOD practices as well as those who are just getting started. Topics included optimizing IODs, legislative updates, payer perspectives on oral oncolytics, trends and best practices.

About McKesson Specialty Health

McKesson Specialty Health, a division of McKesson Corporation, empowers the community patient care delivery system by helping community practices advance the science, technology and quality of care. Through innovative clinical, research, business and operational solutions, facilitated by integrated technology systems, we focus on improving the financial health of our customers so they may provide the best care to their patients. For more information, visit www.mckessonspecialtyhealth.com.