Leadership in Oncology: Innovative Models of the Future

Specialty Pharmacy Times is part of a dynamic company that brings health care providers the critical information they can use to enhance their practice, presented in a variety of different formats and cuttingedge platforms. It’s all about creating education, research, and thought-provoking discussions that will showcase what is already out there in terms of practice models—and bring to light what the future may hold.

Recently, our sister publication, the peer-reviewed American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC, hosted its first live annual meeting, with the theme “Translating Evidence-Based Research into Value-Based Decisions in Oncology.” The conference brought together key leaders in managed care and oncology to discuss the innovative payment models being used by payers and providers today. The conference also centered on the impact of these models in the evolving health care system.

Specialty pharmacists will want to take a deeper dive into the excellent studies and results from the conference, published in a recent supplement to AJMC and available on www.ajmc .com (November 2012, Vol. 18, No. 11, Sup). You will also want to take a closer look on your mobile device and tablet by using the “AR” icon—augmented reality—just introduced in the pages of Specialty Pharmacy Times in the last edition (see the AR instructions here and on the AJMC information on page 38).

The challenges of measuring the cost-effectiveness of any given drug in the oncology arena are daunting and complex. With new approaches in motion and on the horizon, the discussions should include everyone involved in the health care team—there may be different perspectives, but ultimately everyone is on the same team. Michael Chernew, PhD, professor of health care policy, Harvard Medical School, vice chairman, MedPAC, and co-editor-inchief of AJMC, opened this innovative program and also offered his presentation to describe the impact of health care reform on plan design.

Achieving the best cancer care for patients is at the heart of any program or plan design. These industry experts bring their practical knowledge and analysis to the discussion so that all health care providers—including specialty pharmacists who work closely with patients, providers, and payers— can utilize the best approaches for the best results.

As we look ahead, Specialty Pharmacy Times will publish 8 times in 2013, covering important topics such as biologics, oncology trends, collaborative practice, and important clinical insights and topics critical to the specialty pharmacist. Our iPad edition and website—www .SpecialtyPharmacyTimes.com—is available 24/7 with new enhancements and new content. As the AJMC conference demonstrates, it is an exciting time to be involved in the evolving health care scene.

Thank you for reading!

Mike Hennessy

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer/ President