OREANDA-NEWS. December 10, 2015. McKesson Specialty Health recently hosted its 2015 Onmark Select Fall Leadership Summit in New Orleans. Committed to advancing the power of community oncology, McKesson Specialty Health provides practices with the tools and services to strengthen their core operations, enhance value-based care delivery, and expand their services to grow revenue. The two-day event focused on the impact of the ever-changing healthcare landscape on community oncology practices today and how they can prepare for the future.

“The Onmark Summit provided us with a better understanding of the critical issues we are facing as healthcare transitions to new reimbursement and care delivery models, as well as practical solutions that will help us continue to provide advanced cancer care in convenient community-based practices,” said Miriam Yvette Jones Atkins, M.D., oncologist with Augusta Oncology. “Much progress can be made when leaders in the field work together, and this event provided a great venue to exchange ideas and collaborate.”

The Summit brought together more than 220 physicians and practice staff for expert-led educational sessions on clinical topics and practice management, as well as discussions surrounding critical industry, legislative and reimbursement changes. Attendees also had an opportunity to network with peers and company leaders. An Oral Oncolytics Summit focused on trends and best practices in in-office dispensing was held the day before the main meeting.

“The Summit is extremely informative,” said Manish Dhawan, M.D., oncologist with Highland Clinic. “The event’s activities and the lessons learned made me feel that McKesson truly cares about my success as well as the success and longevity of my practice.”

“I gained a much broader perspective about the complexity of issues surrounding oncology care through the variety and expertise of speakers,” added Cheryll Willin, clinical director of Oncology Services for Cancer Center of Santa Barbara with Sansum Clinic.

Each year, the Fall Leadership Summit brings together thought leaders from around the country to participate in the event. This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, The New York Times op-ed contributor and one of the nation’s leading practitioners who is playing a key role in shaping the future of healthcare in America. Trained both as an oncologist and a political scientist, Dr. Emanuel shared his unique perspective on some of the most difficult issues in healthcare today.

“The Onmark Summit was very meaningful and provided a wealth of information for us to take back to our practices,” said Cheryl F. Braitberg, director of Finance and Pharmacy Services, Piedmont Cancer Institute. “Being able to learn from healthcare leaders such as Dr. Emanuel as well as our peers in oncology was a highlight for me. Specifically, I found value in discussing topics such as how technology, biosimilars, and drug pricing are changing the healthcare landscape and how we can work together to thrive in such an ever-changing environment.”

“What was particularly interesting was the Regulatory Affairs session,” said Tracy Delhomme, VP of Oncology Services at Lourdes Physicians Group. “The wide-range of topics covered from public policy and practice management to industry trends was very useful. I plan on sharing this information with my team right away.”

Other presenters at the event included: Bill Cassidy, physician and U.S. Senator from the State of Louisiana; Ted Okon, executive director, Community Oncology Alliance; and Dr. Robert Carlson, chief executive officer, National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®).

General session topics included immuno-oncology, the future of reimbursement, and the current state of today’s Congress. Workshops were also held on subjects ranging from the economics of quality-based care to the recent transition to ICD-10, the investigational drug pipeline, and prior authorization challenges.

“Healthcare is in the middle of a major transformation to a more value-based delivery system that will affect every aspect of cancer care,” said Nick Loporcaro, president, McKesson Specialty Health. “The Onmark Fall Leadership Summit is an investment in our oncology customers to work with them to better understand and prepare for the challenging environment they face. The Summit is designed to not only help community-based practices survive today’s challenges, but to thrive and look forward to the future.”

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.