In The News

Debra Patt, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Executive Vice President, Public Policy, Payer Relations, and Strategic Initiatives at Texas Oncology, addressed concerns on how telehealth will be handled by providers and insurers in the long-term in addition to what concerns oncologists have moving forward. Dr. Patt explained the state and federal policy regarding telemedicine needs to be in alignment and expressed concerns in regards to how insurers beyond Medicare manage telehealth visits in the post-COVID-19 world.

Debra Patt, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Executive Vice President, Public Policy, Payer Relations, and Strategic Initiatives at Texas Oncology, addressed concerns on how telehealth will be handled by providers and insurers in the long-term in addition to what concerns oncologists have moving forward. Dr. Patt explained the state and federal policy regarding telemedicine needs to be in alignment and expressed concerns in regards to how insurers beyond Medicare manage telehealth visits in the post-COVID-19 world.

In a recent article, oncologists and leaders in the healthcare industry discussed the state of telehealth following its introduction into the mainstream during COVID-19. According to Debra Patt, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Executive Vice President, Public Policy, Payer Relations, and Strategic Initiatives at Texas Oncology, telemedicine has been an incredible tool throughout the pandemic to serve patients with cancer, but that it is necessary to make sure it is delivered in alignment with quality-based guidelines.

As part of its commitment to addressing ongoing health disparities and increasing access to cancer care, the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) Board of Directors announced the creation of a standing Health Equity Committee. This committee is the latest in a line of actions taken by COA to highlight and address cancer health disparities through research and action. The COA Health Equity Committee is currently made up of 15 COA members and staff members, which includes Debra Patt, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, Executive Vice President, Public Policy, Payer Relations, and Strategic Initiatives at Texas Oncology.

Texas Oncology recently broke ground on a new 50,000-square-foot cancer care center in Amarillo that will expand the capacity of the practice in the Panhandle. Expected to open in 2023, the new cancer center will provide medical oncology, hematology, gynecologic oncology, radiation oncology, breast radiology, surgical oncology, and colon and rectal surgery services.

While excessive stress is detrimental to everyone, it presents additional challenges for those who are immunocompromised, such as cancer patients. Shail Dalal, M.D., Texas Oncology–Palestine Cancer Center, Jorge Darcourt, M.D., M.H.C.M., Texas Oncology–Houston Medical Center and Sugar Land, Kelsey Espinosa, LMSW, Texas Oncology–Austin Lakeway, Bastrop and South Austin share five tips on how patients can make themselves a top priority and reduce stress while battling cancer.

Between family, work, and personal commitments our calendars can get filled up quickly and we might be inclined to push our personal health appointments off our to-do list. However, mammograms remain the single most important tool for prevention and early detection of breast cancer. Caroline Coombs-Skiles, M.D., FACS, Texas Breast Specialists–Austin Downtown shares why it’s important that women prioritize their health and information on prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

The team at Texas Center for Proton Therapy believes the goal of proton therapy treatment is not only to rid patients of cancer, but to maximize their quality of life during their treatment and beyond—even decades later. Andrew Lee, M.D., radiation oncologist and medical director at Texas Center for Proton Therapy explains how proton therapy can help cancer patients continue to lead full lives during treatment. 

Just 10 years ago, most cancer treatments worked by killing fast-replicating cancer cells with the hopes that healthy cells would survive. Stephen Paulson, M.D., medical oncologist and president and chairman of the board at Texas Oncology shares the latest cancer innovations, the importance of clinical trials, and what's next in cancer care for D CEO. 

Texas Center for Proton Therapy celebrated the final radiation treatment of its 3,000th patient, 16-year-old Walker Huggins, who was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. Victor S. Mangona, M.D., who treated Walker, explained that proton radiation therapy was the ideal treatment option for Walker and significantly decreased the side effects the 16-year-old experienced during radiation. Dr. Mangona added that he is glad to work at a facility like Texas Center for Proton Therapy and be able to assist patients like Walker, as the center serves as the first and only proton facility in North Texas that provides access to proton radiation for patients and increases the treatment’s accessibility to those within a closer radius.