How Pharmacists Drive Multidisciplinary Coordination and Precision Oncology Decision-Making

In an interview with Pharmacy Times at the 2026 Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Conference, Jeanine Ewing, PharmD, BCOP, discusses the role of pharmacists in evaluating emerging data and translating guidelines into clinical practice through formulary management and provider education. She highlights challenges in coordinating care across multiple treatment modalities and electronic medical record (EMR) systems, which can lead to delays if not effectively managed. Ewing emphasizes that pharmacists serve as a central point in care, helping manage toxicities, identify drug interactions, and facilitate communication across teams.

Pharmacy Times: In your role leading formulary management, how do you evaluate and communicate emerging prostate cancer therapies to ensure alignment between urology and oncology teams?

Jeanine Ewing, PharmD, BCOP: Our pharmacy and therapeutics committee meets every two weeks, and we evaluate the most recent data according to NCCN guidelines, ASCO guidelines, and any FDA approvals that come down the line. We also work very closely with our pharma partners to make sure that we have the most accurate and up-to-date information. We prioritize safety and efficacy first and foremost for our patients and then look at clinical trial designs and literature publications to evaluate their place in therapy.

Communication is then distributed via email to all of our providers. We also have newsletter articles, as well as keeping our formulary navigator most up-to-date with place in therapy and biomarkers. Providers are able to use this as a resource when making their treatment decisions.

Pharmacy Times: What are the most common communication gaps you see between urology and oncology in prostate cancer care, and how can pharmacists help bridge those gaps?

Ewing: There can be difficulties that arise between different treatment modalities, such as prioritizing surgical versus medical management. This can lead to difficulties in coordinating patient appointments and result in treatment delays. As therapies are rapidly evolving, ensuring that all providers are current and up to date with multimodality treatments—and how they are moving into earlier lines of treatment—is essential. Operating under different EMR systems can also provide a challenge.

With pharmacists being at the center of care, we are able to help with toxicity management, review patient charts for drug-drug interactions, and assist with coordinating care by reaching out to the appropriate provider as needed.

Pharmacy Times: What strategies have been most effective in ensuring providers and staff stay up to date on evolving prostate cancer treatments?

Ewing: We base decisions on NCCN and ASCO guidelines, and we also have a business development team that creates flyers, newsletters, articles, publications, and events such as conferences that can be shared within the community setting.

This helps ensure that urology, medical oncology, and radiopharmaceutical treatments are available to all patients. We also provide newsletter updates to keep everyone informed and have developed close relationships between providers in community settings. These relationships across multimodality care are very important to ensure patients are treated appropriately.

Pharmacy Times: How can pharmacists play a more proactive role in interdisciplinary decision-making to optimize treatment selection and continuity of care for patients with prostate cancer?

Ewing: With precision medicine, pharmacists have the capability to review genetic profiles, which helps guide the best treatment decisions for patients. Specialty pharmacies can assist with prior authorizations, copay assistance programs, dispensing patient support kits, and providing education to ensure that both providers and patients are aligned. Pharmacists also support toxicity management and help ensure adherence is maintained so patients can receive the most effective and optimal care.