Data-Driven Oncology and Team-Based Care Are Key to Navigating Growing Treatment Complexity

In an interview with Pharmacy Times at the 2026 Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Conference, Sibel Blau, MD, discusses the increasing complexity of oncology care driven by rapid scientific advancements, payer pressures, and evolving treatment pathways. She emphasizes the importance of pharmacists in guiding therapy decisions and ensuring patients receive the right treatment at the right time, even as not all practices can support in-house pharmacy teams. Blau highlights the shift toward data-driven and adaptive clinical pathways, supported by artificial intelligence (AI) and real-world evidence, to better individualize care.

Pharmacy Times: Where do you see pharmacists adding the most value within multidisciplinary oncology teams today, particularly as care becomes more complex and data driven?

Sibel Blau, MD: It really depends on the definition of the practice, where they practice, and how they function.

I am the president and CEO of ONCare Alliance, which is a large independent practice organization coalition. We have multiple different practices, ranging from very small, one doctor–driven practices to very large, sophisticated operations with multiple C-suite–level leaders, hospital affiliations, and varying positions within their programs, competition, and regional affordability. Because it is so variable, it is probably impossible for every single practice to have a pharmacist. However, pharmacy and pharmacists are a very important component of care, especially now as things are becoming more complex, with more data coming in, more disease pathways and regimens being created, and payer requirements dictating how we deliver these drugs. Having a pharmacist to help guide that and ensure the right care is delivered to the right patient at the right time is critical. Can everybody afford it? Probably not. Are there opportunities for practices to have a pharmacist, either externally or internally? Yes, that is possible.

Pharmacy Times: How can multidisciplinary teams better leverage real-time data to inform treatment decisions and improve patient outcomes in community oncology

Blau: This is a very good question. I believe in clinical pathways, but clinical pathways only guide you to a certain extent. Most of us base them on NCCN [National Comprehensive Cancer Network] guidelines, but when you are treating patients with a data-driven approach, it really comes down to what the patient in front of you will benefit from based on what has been learned from other patients. It is a learning process—I call it adaptive pathways—and that is where care becomes critical. This absolutely requires a multidisciplinary approach, with a whole team bringing value to the patient’s care.

If you have a data-driven approach and an AI strategy to stratify patients based on drug regimens and care pathways, you can make the right decision for the right patient at the right time. It becomes especially important to incorporate clinical trials—not as an optional add-on, but as a true treatment option. That makes a data-driven approach even more essential, especially as physicians are managing a large volume of incoming information and must make clear, concise decisions for each patient.

Pharmacy Times: What are the biggest barriers to effective collaboration across specialties, and how can teams overcome them to deliver more coordinated care?

Blau: When it comes to barriers, the No. 1 issue is the overwhelming amount of information coming from different sources. One source is scientific development and drug discovery, with new drugs entering patient care constantly. The second is payer initiatives—how drugs are reimbursed and how care is delivered. The third is the challenge of coordinating across multiple specialties, such as determining whether surgery or systemic treatment should come first and how to align care across providers. Additionally, incorporating precision oncology and clinical trials into patient care adds another layer of complexity, but it is critical to ensuring patients receive the right treatment from the start.

To overcome these barriers, we need a data-driven approach that learns from prior patient experiences. We need a coordinated team that includes pharmacists, clinicians––physicians or APPs [advanced practice providers]–– nurses, and all ancillary and operational staff to ensure that drugs are selected appropriately and delivered without delay. Access and approvals are increasingly complex due to payer requirements, so coordination is essential.

We also need strong multidisciplinary collaboration across specialties, including tumor boards and other forums where patient cases are discussed to determine the best treatment approach. For [patients with] metastatic or advanced [disease], care may be more centralized within medical oncology, but even then, collaboration with radiation oncology, surgery, and other specialties is necessary for procedures, biopsies, and comprehensive care.

Ultimately, it comes down to affordability and who can support this level of care. Oncology care is still largely reimbursed through drug margins under a fee-for-service model, but there is a strong belief that physicians should be compensated for the complexity of care they deliver, including the thought process, coordination, and team-based approach required to provide the best outcomes for patients.