Oncology Takes a Multidisciplinary Care Team Approach to Build Market Distinctiveness

By Lori Scalise, system director, service line oncology, Premier Health; and James Ouellette, DO, clinical chair of the oncology service line, Premier Health

“While cancer mortality rates have declined due to innovative targeted treatments, new cancer incidence rates are expected to increase over the next 10+ years. Therefore, Premier Health needs to be positioned to accommodate our patient’s needs,” says Dr. Ouellette. Premier Health is laser-focused on its commitment to developing and expanding its access to comprehensive cancer care services, clinical trials, and cancer prevention close to home.

How will we accomplish this? The oncology service line is launching specific cancer disease site teams using a multidisciplinary care team approach that includes cancer nurse navigators, social workers, genetic counselors, oncology pharmacists, pathology, marketing, therapy, operation leadership, primary care, and fellowship-trained cancer specialists. These teams are committed and energized to take a holistic, forward-looking approach and function as key influencers. How? By focusing on program growth ideas, technology, marketing planning, quality, and operationalizing clinical pathway processes that strive to continually improve access to timely treatment and deliver a more seamless patient experience.

Here are a few examples of how the oncology service line has improved access for cancer patients this year:

• Oncology Clinical Trials: The oncology service line has expanded the clinical trials team to support the ongoing portfolio growth of oncology clinical trials and research. Premier Health is aligned with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and members of ECOG-ACRIN, NRG, and GOG, and we offer industry-sponsored oncology trials. If you are interested in participating in oncology trials or referring patients, please reach out to Dr. James Ouellette or Darinda Reis, oncology clinical trial supervisor, at (937) 438-7882.
• Premier Health Infusion Centers Expansion: Miami Valley Hospital South will complete construction of the 4^th floor with a 22-bay infusion center and Premier Blood and Cancer Center in the Comprehensive Cancer Center in December. Miami Valley Hospital North (MVHN) begins its expansion of the Cancer Center infusion and pharmacy areas and will complete construction in 2023. To sponsor an infusion chair for our patients, please contact the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation at (937) 208-2700.
• Lung Nodule Evaluation Program: launched this year system-wide. The first in the region, it is a comprehensive program for detecting and treating lung cancer early. For additional information, call (937) 208-9050. Or, refer a Lung Nodule for evaluation via EPIC Referral CON30663 Referral to Lung Nodule Evaluation Program
• Premier Blood and Cancer Center: Continues to expand with easy access for patients. This center now has eight medical oncologists fellowship trained in hematology and oncology disease:  Srinivasu Chamarthy, MD (begins in November at Upper Valley Medical Center); Satheesh Kathula, MD, FACP (begins January 2023), and joins John Haluschak, MD; Sana Jeffreys, MD; Jhansi Koduri, MD; Piyush V. Patel, MD; Joseph R. See, MD; and Tarek M. Sabagh, MD. These oncologists manage all cancer disease types. To refer a patient, please call (937) 276-8320 or Epic: Premier Blood and Cancer Center.
• Premier Health’s Breast Cancer Program: Has recently expanded to include two fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologists, Neha Sarvepalli, MD, FACS, and joins Selyne Samuel, MD, FACS. Dr. Sarvepalli will accept patients immediately and is located at the MVHN campus. These breast cancer specialists will provide the latest breast surgical advances and provide patients identified as high-risk for breast cancer counseling and guidance on screening surveillance and genetic testing. To refer to a breast surgical oncology specialist, call (937) 438-8600 or EPIC: Premier Surgical Oncology.
• Premier Head and Neck Cancer Program: Has expanded to include two fellowship-trained head and neck and reconstruction surgeons, Mohamedkazim “Kazim” Alwani, MD, FACS, and joins Sameep Kadakia, MD, FACS. These head and neck cancer specialists provide an individualized care plan tailored to each patient’s unique needs and serve patients from a 17-county market area. To refer to the Premier Health Head and Neck Cancer Program, please call (937) 208-6730 or EPIC PremierENTAssoc.
• A New Diagnostic Agent to Improve Early Detection of Prostate Cancer: The new Pylarify® PET/CT scan could enhance prostate cancer treatment planning. Today, more than 3.1 million American men are living with prostate cancer. When detected early, the 5-year survival rates for prostate cancer can be as high as 100%. A PET/CT scan using Pylarify® could enhance prostate cancer treatment planning. Pylarify® is a radioactive diagnostic agent used with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging for men with Prostate Specific Member Antigen (PSMA) positive lesions with known or possible recurrent prostate cancer due to elevated PSA levels. A PET/CT scan using Pylarify® may improve early detection of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA), a protein found on most (approximately 90%) prostate cancer cells. If you have any questions, please contact Jacqui Rose at jfrose@premierhealth.com 

This new procedure is typically ordered by a medical oncologist or urologist and is currently performed at UVMC, Hyatt location, MVHS, and Atrium Medical Center. Call Central Scheduling at (855) 887-7364 or EPIC order: NM PET/CT PYLARIFY PROTOCOL [RAD41082]

If you have an idea for us to explore for the cancer service line, contact James Ouellette, MD, or Lori Scalise.

Back to the October 2022 issue of Premier Pulse