Fort Myers, Fla., January 6, 2020 – American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is pleased to announce the opening of Messino Cancer Centers. The physicians, serving the Western North Carolina region for 30 years, joined AON, effective Jan. 1, 2020. AON is an alliance of physicians and veteran healthcare leaders uniting to ensure the long-term success of community oncology.

Messino Cancer Centers (MCC) is providing care at its primary site located at 551 Brevard Road in Asheville. New locations in Brevard, Franklin and Spruce Pine will open later this month, with locations in Marion and Sylva opening later in Q1 2020.

The MCC team includes 14 medical oncologists and 16 physician assistants and nurse practitioners who provide a comprehensive range of treatment for patients diagnosed with cancer and blood disorders. Through this partnership, the MCC physician-led teams, will enhance the services offered to patients, with advanced diagnostic technologies, an expanded oral oncolytic outpatient pharmacy providing home delivery of medications, pathology and central laboratory services, and 24/7 care management support.

AON CEO Brad Prechtl, MBA stated, “Messino Cancer Centers is a highly respected practice recognized for delivering exemplary, patient-centric care in the community. We are delighted to welcome the entire MCC family to AON.”

AON Board Member & Chairman Dr. Stephen Orman added, “The MCC physicians are dedicated to providing the residents of Western North Carolina convenient access to cutting-edge cancer care.”

“Working with AON, we look forward to continuing to build upon our 30-year history of providing the highest quality cancer care that is based on research and delivered with compassion and kindness in consideration of each patient as a unique individual,” said Medical Oncologist Dr. Michael Messino, who founded MCC.

MCC Medical Oncologist Dr. Christopher Chay said, “This partnership enables us to gain access to vital support for activities that are critical to delivering true value-based care. In turn, my colleagues and I can continue to make the best decisions for our patients and staff.”

With a mission to ensure that everyone has access to exceptional cancer care, AON was founded by well-respected leaders in the oncology community with decades of experience helping oncology practices to thrive by providing proven solutions.

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About American Oncology Network, LLC: (AONcology.com)
American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Launched in 2018, the rapidly growing AON network represents 72 physicians and 33 nurse practitioners and physician assistants practicing across 11 states. The executive management team of AON brings more than three decades of oncology practice management experience, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most – providing the highest quality care for patients.

The organization provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per-capita cost of cancer care.

AON also provides a unique model of physician led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients’ experiences will be at the very pinnacle of cancer care today.

About Messino Cancer Centers: (MessinoCancerCenters.com)
Messino Cancer Centers (MCC) provides treatment for adult patients diagnosed with all types of cancer and blood disorders. We are experienced physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses and clinical support staff dedicated to providing the most advanced and innovative treatments of the highest quality. We work together as a team and recognize that each patient is not just a person with cancer, but a unique individual. Care is provided with the utmost concern and consideration of what is best for the whole person throughout their cancer journey.

MCC physicians provide state-of-the-art evidenced-based medicine for patients, incorporating personalized medicine, standard and nationally accepted guidelines, and clinical trials. Through care management and dedicated oncology certified staff, we provide support for patients through all phases of their diagnosis and treatment. The physicians of MCC are grounded in the region of Western North Carolina and devoted to providing care to patients in their communities.

For More Information, Contact:
American Oncology Network, LLC
Caroline Hewitt
Director of  Marketing
Caroline.Hewitt@AONcology.com
(239) 789.2341

Fort Myers, Fla., November 25, 2019 — Since its inception in 2017, the American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) has participated in the Oncology Care Model (OCM), a national innovative payment program of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Through its participation in OCM, AON’s affiliated practices are providing high-quality enhanced services to Medicare beneficiaries, such as care coordination, navigation, and national treatment guidelines, while reducing the cost of cancer care through payment arrangements that include financial and performance accountability.

Based on its record of success in community oncology practices across the nation, AON is expanding its participation in the program by choosing to adopt an alternative “two-sided risk” model that would create additional savings for patients and, potentially, for its affiliated practices. In the new two-sided risk model, providers still share in savings, if spending is below the benchmark, as they do in the previous one-sided risk model; however, under the two-sided model, providers also are responsible for some of the loss if spending is above the benchmark.

AON CEO Brad Prechtl, MBA said, “AON’s affiliated practices are community oncology practices that provide extremely high-quality care. Being part of the American Oncology Network allows these practices to provide enhanced services to their patients, such as an in-house specialty pharmacy, world-class pathology lab and national clinical research, as well as the ability to participate in the Oncology Care Model, which, in turn, provides added benefits to patients in their local community.”

Sarah Cevallos, AON Chief Revenue Cycle Officer, added, “Models such as the OCM have allowed practices joining AON to quickly adopt enhanced services that will ultimately provide a win for our patients, payer partners, and reinvestment into the organization. While this is the first major value-based model AON has adopted, we are looking to use this as a platform to expand our learnings to other commercial payers and patients.”

AON Advisory Board Member Stephen “Fred” Divers, MD, who practices at Genesis Cancer Center in Hot Springs, Ark., has championed the OCM as a model that proactively addresses the rising costs of cancer care. “Our practice has experienced the difference that OCM has made in reducing the cost of care for our patients and boosting the overall sustainability of community oncology. As a practice of AON, we have access to the advantages of the OCM, such as 24/7 care management for our patients, that have been proven to benefit both our patients and the practice in general.”

AON Board Member & Chairman Stephen Orman, MD, is optimistic about AON’s participation in the new two-sided model, saying, “We expect to achieve future successes because we have high physician engagement and alignment with our strategic priorities. This is an unsurpassed opportunity for physicians and practices that join AON to participate in an advanced organization that is leading the initiative toward value-based care, which provides the highest quality of cancer care while reducing the overall cost of that care for our patients.”

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About American Oncology Network, LLC: (AONcology.com)
American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Launched in 2018, the rapidly growing AON network represents 54 physicians and 15 nurse practitioners practicing across nine states. The executive management team of AON brings more than three decades of oncology practice management experience, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most – providing the highest quality care for patients.

The organization provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per-capita cost of cancer care.

AON also provides a unique model of physician led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients’ experiences will be at the very pinnacle of cancer care today.

For More Information, Contact:
American Oncology Network, LLC
Caroline Hewitt, Director of Marketing
Caroline.Hewitt@AONcology.com
(239) 789.2341

The American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) leadership team gathered recently at Raymond James Stadium for the 2019 Operations Meeting.  Presentations focused on cutting-edge advancements and best practice initiatives that will continue to enhance the cancer care AON partner practices provide to patients and their families. The ‘Survivor’ theme was a nod to special guest, Ethan Zohn, winner of the reality TV series, Survivor: Africa, who shared his inspiring story of his battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

New treatments providing more choices and better outcomes

Fort Myers, Fla., October 23, 2019 — While there is no cure for metastatic, or stage IV, breast cancer, the rapid release of new therapies means that many more patients are living longer and with better quality of life.

“Three or four years ago there were many fewer options for breast cancer treatment,” said Douglas Braun, CSP, PharmD, RPh, pharmacy manager for AON Pharmacy, the centralized specialty pharmacy operated by American Oncology Network, LLC.  “Now there are several new therapy alternatives that are improving patient outcomes,” he said.

Oral oncolytics, in particular, are largely replacing IV chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer and that’s very good news for the estimated 271,270 Americans (268,600 women and 2,670 men) who will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year. While traditional IV chemotherapy attacks the whole body, often causing nausea, hair loss and other side effects, oral therapies travel directly to targeted cells to block cell mutations and prevent the cancer from spreading.

Because these oral drugs are self-administered, a close partnership between patient, oncologist and pharmacist is critical to ensure compliance, help manage any side effects and monitor patient progress.

The AON team of pharmacists, technicians and support staff, based in Fort Myers, Fla., work around-the-clock to ensure quality and safety and effective treatment outcomes for the patients in AON’s growing network of community-based oncology practices across seven states.  With ready access to 99 percent of all available oral oncolytics, they can quickly dispense medications and supplies directly to patient homes.

However, their interactions with patients begin well before any pills are taken. “The first telephone conversation begins with education about the therapy, its proper use and potential side effects,” explains Braun.  “We then follow up every three weeks to schedule refills, monitor compliance and assess patient response.  Because we have access to the patient’s electronic health record, each pharmacist has a complete picture of the patient’s health and how therapies are being tolerated.”

Jeanna L. Knoble, MD, medical oncologist with Zangmeister Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio, an AON partner, treats all cancer and blood disorders and has a special interest in breast malignancies.  “Our breast cancer patients rely on the regular touch-base with their pharmacist to have their questions regarding details of taking their oral therapy answered,” she said. “This partnership improves the level of care we provide by promoting patient adherence, helping monitor for toxicities and need for dose adjustments, and getting patients medication in an efficient, cost-effective manner. As the complexity and number of oral therapies increases, this type of partnership is crucial in oncology.”

Since the FDA approved the first class of targeted oral therapies for breast cancer treatment in 2015, pharmaceutical companies have steadily introduced new oral drugs, giving physicians and patients many more choices. “It’s becoming more like managing a chronic disease in many patients,” Braun says, “in some ways it could be compared to taking a pill for diabetes or high blood pressure, making changes to the prescribed therapy over time based on how well it controls the disease and how well it is tolerated.”

Dr. Knoble agrees and is optimistic about the ongoing focus in oncology research on targeted therapies. “Each patient’s cancer has a unique genetic profile for which certain mutations are seen as targets for future treatment options.  We continue to gain greater understanding about the progression of the disease,” she said. “The future is very promising.”

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About American Oncology Network, LLC: (AONcology.com)

American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Launched in 2018, the rapidly growing AON network represents more than 50 physicians and over ten nurse practitioners practicing across seven states. The executive management team of AON brings more than three decades of oncology practice management experience, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most – providing the highest quality care for patients.

The organization provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per-capita cost of cancer care.

AON also provides a unique model of physician-led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients’ experiences will be at the very pinnacle of cancer care today.

For More Information, Contact:
American Oncology Network, LLC
Caroline Hewitt
Director of  Marketing
Caroline.Hewitt@AONcology.com
(239) 789.2341

Centralized approach to diagnostics providing unique advantages to oncologists and cancer patients

Fort Myers, Fla., September 20, 2019 – Complete, accurate and timely pathology reports are critical to cancer diagnosis and treatment.  While cancer patients rarely, if ever, interact with the skilled physicians who evaluate their cells and tissues, pathologists are integral members of the cancer care team.  To serve its growing network of community-based oncology practices, American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) has doubled the size of its centralized Pathology Laboratory. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled this month at the newly constructed facility located in Fort Myers, Florida.

The AON Pathology Laboratory currently serves nearly 50 physicians in seven states with a testing menu that includes flow cytometry, histology and immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, FISH (florescence in-situ hybridization) and central lab services.  While the type of testing performed at the lab does not depart much from that provided by in-hospital or reference labs, AON’s centralized approach yields numerous advantages to oncologists and their patients.

“Our lab and our staff are seamlessly integrated into daily patient care and we maintain highly personal communication with the oncologists we serve,” said Dr. Ryan Olson, medical director of AON’s Pathology Laboratory.

“The advantage of having direct access to patient health information through AON’s state-of-the-art electronic medical records system cannot be overstated,” he added. “Because we can see a patient’s complete health history, we know exactly why the testing has been ordered and what questions the oncologist wants answered.”  When a pathologist discovers that additional testing of a specimen is necessary to obtain a more precise diagnosis, they are often able to make the appropriate request immediately, which increases turn-around time and minimizes unnecessary testing.

Despite the fact that the oncologists and pathologists are in different states, they are connected instantly via phone, email or text to discuss special testing requests, for in-depth review of a lab report or for general pathology questions.

The AON Pathology Laboratory has earned “Gold Standard” certification from the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Through consistent use of Lean and Six Sigma tools to engineer process improvements and efficiencies, turnaround times are superior to industry norms. With wait times for test results minimized, patient anxiety can be greatly reduced.

“Since all of our testing is centralized and streamlined, we aim for 75 percent of flow cytometry to be signed out the day after it’s drawn and nearly 100 percent within two days of being drawn,” said Dr. Olson. “Nearly all tests are complete within one week or less, with only the exception of some outsourced molecular testing that can take longer.”

Dr. Michael Castine III, lead physician with Hematology/Oncology Clinic in Baton Rouge, LA, one of the first to join AON in September 2018, says his practice has seen enhanced results through the adoption of best practices and access to increased resources. “Through centralized ancillaries such as clinical lab and pathology, AON helps us take care of our business so we can focus on our patients.”

The Pathology Lab’s new location means there is room to grow. A Cytogenetics Lab Center was recently added.  Dr. Olson and his team of hematopathologists and surgical pathologists are actively exploring the possible expansion of molecular testing to include NGS (next generation sequencing) for both hematologic and surgical pathology specimens.  The team is also positioned to serve the additional five practices in four states that will join AON by the first of next year.

AON CEO Brad Prechtl, MBA says the ongoing investment in pathology services is well placed.  “Pathology is at the core of oncology practice and clinical research and we will continue to make investments to enhance the effectiveness of community-based oncology care.”

“Our world-class pathologists serve and support our partner physicians with specialized expertise that helps to inform and direct the very best care plan and clinical outcome for each patient we serve,” said AON Board Member & Chairman Dr. Stephen Orman. 

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About American Oncology Network, LLC: (AONcology.com)

American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Founded in 2017, the rapidly growing AON network represents more than 50 physicians and over ten nurse practitioners practicing across seven states. The executive management team of AON brings more than three decades of oncology practice management experience, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most – providing the highest quality care for patients.

The organization provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per-capita cost of cancer care.

AON also provides a unique model of physician led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients’ experiences will be at the very pinnacle of cancer care today.

For More Information, Contact:
American Oncology Network, LLC
Caroline Hewitt
Director of  Marketing
Caroline.Hewitt@AONcology.com
(239) 789.2341