Sutter Health

Oncology pharmacists are increasingly vital in managing complex cancer therapies, facing challenges like recognition as providers. They run therapeutic clinics, interpret test results, select clinical pathways, and manage patient disease states. Pharmacists also collaborate in tumor boards, write appeal letters, and conduct medication reconciliation for clinical trials. Advocacy efforts aim to elevate their roles in business and policy, with some states recognizing pharmacists as providers. Collaborative practice agreements allow pharmacists to prescribe and manage care, reducing physician workload. However, federal provider status remains unrecognized, limiting reimbursement and resources.

The Sequoia Project released Data Usability Implementation Guide Version 2, developed by its Interoperability Matters Data Usability Workgroup, to enhance data usability across healthcare stakeholders. The updated guide includes seven topics and expands baseline requirements from USCDI V1 to V3, with added guidance for receiving systems and technology-agnostic requirements for HL7® FHIR®, HL7 v2.x, and HL7 C-CDA.

Early adopters of biosimilars have advanced acceptance by sharing real-world data on successful programs, emphasizing strategies like pharmacoeconomic analyses and leveraging tools. Integrated delivery networks (IDNs) should stay ahead of FDA approvals, update formularies early, and negotiate favorable contracts. ArchMed’s biosimilar-first policy exemplifies payer collaboration that reduces costs and improves patient access.

Lecanemab use in the U.S. and Japan shows ARIA rates similar to trials despite broader patient populations. Japan's ARIA rates are half of the U.S., mirroring Phase 3 trial results. Lecanemab is approved in several countries but rejected by the EMA and Australia. The U.K. restricts use to non-APOE4 homozygotes, and the NHS does not cover costs. Other countries may follow the U.K.'s example. Lecanemab use is growing in Japan but faces hurdles like limited infusion sites and physician numbers.

Sophia Humphreys, PharmD, MHA, BCBBS, emphasizes biosimilar adoption strategies in 'buy and bill' medical benefit space, highlighting collaboration with GPOs, 340B programs, and EHR integration. Regular cost assessments and prior authorization processes for biosimilars and reference products streamline care. Continuous performance reviews and sharing results with leadership drive biosimilar uptake improvement.

Becker's 2024 list highlights hospitals & health systems excelling in oncology, recognized for advanced clinical trials & research. Notable institutions include AdventHealth, Allina Health, Arkansas Children's, Atlantic Health System, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor Scott & White Health, Boston Medical Center, Brown University Health, Children's Health, Children's Hospital Colorado, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's Nebraska, ChristianaCare, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Connecticut Children’s, Covenant Health, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dartmouth Health, DeTar Hospital Cancer Center, Duke Health, El Paso Children's Hospital, Emory Healthcare, Endeavor Health, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center/UW Medicine, Geisinger, Hackensack Meridian Health, Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Inova, Jefferson Health, Johns Hopkins, Jupiter Medical Center, Keck Medicine of USC, Laredo Medical Center, Lehigh Valley Health Network, MUSC Health, MaineHealth, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mayo Clinic, MedStar, MemorialCare, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, Mount Sinai Health System, Nebraska Medicine, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, Northwestern Medicine, Novant Health, OSF HealthCare, OU Health, Ochsner Health, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Oregon Health & Science University Hospital, Orlando Health, Penn Medicine, Providence Alaska Medical Center, Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon, Providence South Division Cancer Institute, Queen's Health System, RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute, Renown Health, Rochester Regional Health, Roper St. Francis Healthcare, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sanford Health, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, Scripps Health, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Stanford Medicine, Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Sutter Health, Swedish Cancer Institute, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami, Tampa General Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital, UC Davis Health, UCLA Health, UCSF Health, UK HealthCare, UNM Health System, UVA Health, UW Health, UMass Memorial Health, University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital, University of Chicago Medical Center, University of Colorado Cancer Center-UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, University Hospitals, University of Iowa Health Care, University of Kansas Health System, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Vermont Health Network, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Virtua Health, WVU Cancer Institute, WellSpan Health, Yale New Haven Health.

Medtronic settled a lawsuit over pulse oximeters' accuracy for darker skin, agreeing to provide labels and brochures to California hospitals. The FDA has delayed guidance on pulse oximeter accuracy since 2021, now prioritizing it for fiscal year 2025.

Becker's honors healthcare CNOs for tackling nurse staffing shortages, managing budgets, and developing professional growth opportunities. CNOs oversee nursing departments, spearhead innovative patient care initiatives, and bring clinical expertise and executive leadership skills. The list is based on nominations and editorial research, with leaders presented in alphabetical order.

Warner Thomas, Sutter Health CEO, discusses addressing California's doctor shortage through expanding residency spots to nearly 1,000 by 2030, emphasizing recruitment and retention strategies, and exploring AI's role in healthcare to ease physician workload and improve patient care.

Tomás Aragón, director of the California Department of Public Health, will deliver the keynote address at UC Davis Health’s Spanish Mini Medical School on Oct 12. The event, now in its 14th year, is free, conducted entirely in Spanish, and features nearly a dozen speakers addressing health topics relevant for a Spanish-speaking audience. Although in-person attendance is sold out, registration is open for the live, online simulcast.