Facilitating patient involvement in these studies is consequential as data shows improved outcomes for patients enrolled in clinical trials.
LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)
August 12, 2021
OPN Healthcare, Keck Medicine of USC and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have expanded a clinical trials program to provide patients of OPN network physician groups with access to clinical trials being conducted at USC. This agreement not only advances OPN patient community participation in clinical trials, but also improves the value of cancer care provided to OPN patients in this era of precision medicine.
Launched originally in April of 2019, the clinical trials collaboration first focused on the care of patients with respiratory cancers. The expanded program is structured to extend to other diseases such as breast cancer, melanoma and kidney cancer.
OPN network providers treat over 33,000 cancer patients annually. Improved access to oncology clinical trials is an integral component of OPN’s comprehensive population health platform. The relationship with Keck Medicine of USC and the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center offers community oncology patients, many of whom are in underserved communities, the ability to participate in leading edge clinical research with potential therapies normally limited to a restricted population in an IRB-approved, safe and protected environment.
This effort between a major academic medical center and community oncology groups serves as a way for these organizations to collaborate and advance oncology care. Academic medical centers are at the forefront of medical advances and this program gives community oncology patients a unique opportunity to secure the specialized care these institutions offer. USC currently has approximately 200 industry sponsored clinical trials providing new and innovative drugs at the community level.
“This program expands access to experimental therapies and better positions physicians at USC Norris and the OPN Network to provide the best possible cancer care, particularly among patients in underserved populations,” says Dr. Jorge Nieva, medical oncologist with Keck Medicine of USC and associate professor of clinical medicine at Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Furthermore, collaborating with OPN network physicians empowers researchers like myself to advance clinical findings more efficiently and thoroughly.”
According to Dr. Anthony Lam, a practicing oncologist and OPN’s Chief Medical Officer, this program will not only support improved cancer research that helps community patients, but it will also shape future cooperation. He stresses that, “facilitating patient involvement in these studies is consequential as data shows improved outcomes for patients enrolled in clinical trials. Moreover, this collaboration reinforces a unique collaboration between community oncology groups and a noted academic institution that sponsors these forward-thinking drug studies.”
OPN Healthcare is a technology-enabled specialty healthcare services company focused on cancer care. A leading oncology physician network, OPN fosters sustainable relationships between payers, physicians and patients. Established in 1999 and headquartered in Southern California, it manages over 2.6 million enrollees in four states. OPN provides infrastructure, insights and knowledge to manage and align networks via an IPA model for medical oncology care within its community-based oncology networks.
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