This session included two case studies on Community Hospitals.
Case Studies: Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center
This case study was presented by Paul R. O’Dea, Executive Director, Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute; Vice President, Aptium Oncology, Inc. The founding and evolution of the Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center was discussed, including an examination of the organizational structure and physician participation. In addition, the market demographics and the challenges to success were assessed. And finally, the innovations undertaken to differentiate the Center in a highly competitive market were reviewed.
A “Clinical Operating System” for Today’s Cancer Center
This case study was presented by Angela Blackburn, Vice President, Clinical Operations, Mary Crowley Cancer Research Centers. Providing comprehensive patient care is becoming an increasingly challenging prospect for cancer centers. Centers have to keep pace with an array of new treatment options such as imaging technologies, radiation therapy options, clinical trials, translational therapies, to name a few. Indeed, due to the relatively modest efficacy of conventional chemotherapy, it is no longer possible to overlook these new treatment possibilities, especially the ones arising from investigative drugs in early phase clinical trials. It is critical for cancer centers to architect a centralized “clinical operating system,” an information systems platform that can enable timely data exchange between clinical systems (Electronic Medical Records (EMR), Lab, Clinical Trials, RT, PET, Scheduling) and provide role-based dashboards for administrators, practitioners, research nurses, and front office staff to support their decision making process.