Dr Gordan: A Path to Sustainable Cancer Care

In an interview with Targeted Oncology, Lucio N. Gordan, MD, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, proposes a multipronged approach to healthcare reform to protect the role of community oncology in addressing financial toxicity.

Watch part 1 and part 2 of Dr Gordan’s interview.

Gordan first identifies site parity as a “low-hanging fruit” for stakeholders to address. This reform would ensure hospitals are paid the same as community oncology practices for identical services, effectively eliminating the facility fees that currently inflate the cost of care in hospital settings.

Beyond site parity, Gordan stresses the urgent need for 340B program reform to address growing market asymmetry. While the 340B program was designed with good intentions, Gordan argues it is being used inappropriately by certain hospital systems and academic facilities to access discounted drugs while charging significantly higher administration costs than community practices. This disparity provides hospitals with excessive financial resources, which may be used to buy out independent community oncology practices further down the line. Such acquisitions threaten to disintegrate a care delivery system that Gordan describes as highly efficient, responsible, and characterized by high-quality outcomes.

To mitigate these risks, Gordan calls for the continuous education of policymakers and more aggressive, prescriptive action from commercial payers who already understand the financial advantages of the community model. He warns that the current US healthcare system is not sustainable for much longer if these specific reforms are not implemented in short order.

Ultimately, prioritizing site parity and 340B restructuring is essential to maintain the stability of the oncology ecosystem and prevent the erosion of cost-effective care provision. By focusing on these strategies, the healthcare system can better manage the total cost of care while preserving the specialized infrastructure necessary for innovative treatment.

Read the full interview here.