From Our CMSO | 2 People + Places | 12 Foundation Update | 16
New study: Cancer care delivered in hospital setting costs much more than in community oncology practices | 3
FALL + WINTER 2017
Community-based oncologist considers the changes in cancer care over the course of her career | 8
A lesson in generosity | 17
Clinical trials at FCS | 20
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Cancer 360 Plus is published by Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute to inform healthcare providers and patients of advances in multidisciplinary cancer treatment. Editorial features are developed in harmony with our goals to optimize health, quality of life and clinical outcomes for cancer patients and their families. Our writers cover a wide variety of topics related to modern advances in medical and radiation oncology, clinical research, coping with cancer treat-ment side effects, profiles of FCS physicians and researchers, news of our drug development unit and the nonprofit FCS Foundation.
© Copyright 2017 Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
Material provided in this publication is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
Publication developed by Consonant Custom Media www.consonantcustom.com
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
PUBLICATION TEAM
MANAGING EDITORMaria Ramos-Person
PUBLISHER/CREATIVE DIRECTORSteve Smith
WRITERDavid Chesnick
COPY EDITORSusan Hicks
ART DIRECTORRosie White
William N. Harwin, MDPresident & Founder
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT:Brad Prechtl, MBA Chief Executive Officer
Todd SchonherzChief Operating Officer
Tom ClarkChief Legal Officer
Shelly GlennChief Marketing & Sales Officer
Sarah CevallosChief Revenue Cycle Officer
PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP:Michael Diaz, MDLucio N. Gordan, MD Lowell L. Hart, MD William N. Harwin, MDStephen V. Orman, MDJames A. Reeves Jr., MD
EXECUTIVE BOARD:Jose Alemar, MDRoy M. Ambinder, MD Jorge Ayub, MDMichael Diaz, MDLucio N. Gordan, MDJoel S. Grossman, MDWilliam N. Harwin, MDMaen Hussein, MDJulio Lautersztain, MDScott Lunin, MDVikas Malhotra, MDNoel A. Maun, MD, PhD Stephen V. Orman, MD Ivor Percent, MDMarilyn M. Raymond, MDFrank Rodriguez, MDShalin R. Shah, DOGerald H. Sokol, MD, MSc, FCP
Making the case for community cancer care
According to the Community Oncology Alliance’s recent report, The Value of Community Oncology: Site of Care Cost Analysis, the monthly cost of cancer care for patients with breast, lung and colorectal cancer treated in a community clinic setting is approximately $8,000 less than treatment in a hospital-based practice.
Dr. Lucio Gordan, Medical Director of the Division of Quality & Informatics at FCS, developed the report with Xcenda, a global health economics consultancy. While the primary cost drivers of higher hospital costs for cancer care are chemotherapy and physician visits, Dr. Gordan shines a light on a disturbing trend – the migration of patients from community oncology practices to hospital-based settings, and the fact that, despite this cost disparity, we are experiencing a substantial decline in community-owned oncology practices in the USA.
Considering the annual cost of cancer care is estimated to surpass $170 billion by the end of the decade, referring physicians should find the study particularly informative. Our story in this edition of Cancer 360-Plus provides more information, and the complete report can be downloaded from our website.
Also in this issueFCS is always striving to provide our physicians with the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic tools. I’m happy to report that the FCS Brooksville office (7154 Medical Center Drive, Spring Hill) is the first community oncology location in the Brooksville-Spring Hill area to have a Varian VitalBeam™ linear accelerator (LINAC). You’ll find the complete story in People + Places. Dr. Vance Wright-Browne, who was the first female oncologist to join Florida Cancer Specialists in 1996, is profiled in this issue. You will also meet two people whose compassion and generosity are making a positive impact on the lives of many cancer patients: Teacher Barbara Long, whose unusual donation gave life to one of our Foundation’s most successful series of fundraisers; and retired oil industry consultant, FCS volunteer and board member John Shwiner, who believes that small gestures do indeed make a big difference. +
Shelly H. GlennChief Marketing & Sales Officer
FALL + WINTER 2017
Feature
New Report Demonstrates the Value of Community Oncology
Study determines that cancer care delivered in hospital outpatient settings is much more expensive than in independent community oncology practices.
continued on page 4
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With annual cancer care costs estimated to surpass $170 billion by the end of the decade, the findings of a new study of the cost differentials for cancer patients treated in community-based settings versus treatment in hospital outpatient settings is particularly timely and of vital importance.
The report, The Value of Community Oncology: Site of Care Cost Analysis, is the work of Dr. Lucio Gordan, Medical Director of the Division of Quality & Informatics at Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, and Xcenda, a global health economics consultancy. The Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for community oncology practices and the patients they serve, released the report.
The study suggests that the monthly cost of cancer care for patients with breast, lung and colorectal cancer treated in a communi-ty clinic setting is approximately $8,000 less than treat-ment in a hospital-based practice, irrespective of the treatment regimen, branded vs. generic agents used, or tumor type.
Despite this cost disparity, of particular concern is that the report comes at a time when we are experienc-ing a substantial decline in community-owned practices in the USA. It’s a trend driven by lower reimbursement rates for chemotherapy administration, increasing costs of regulatory compliance, rising facility expenses and pressure from payers. All of these trends are leading to
Lucio N. Gordan, MDHometownGainesville, Florida
Medical SchoolState University of Londrina College of Medicine, Brazil
Internship & ResidencyUniversity of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Post-Doctoral Fellowship University of Florida
Board CertificationMedical OncologyHematologyInternal Medicine
continued on page 6
“As a physician, I am constantly concerned about the financial toxicity of cancer care. It is disappointing to see data that hospital-based cancer care is more expensive than community practices while, at the same time, more patients are being forced into hospitals.”
Lucio Gordan, MDMedical Director, Division of Quality & InformaticsFlorida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
The Value of Community OncologySite of Care Cost Analysis
September 25, 2017
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hospital acquisitions and corporate merg-ers. According to COA’s 2016 Community Oncology Practice Impact Report, 1146 independent community oncology practic-es have closed, merged or been acquired since 2006.
While the primary cost drivers of higher hospital costs for cancer care are chemotherapy and physician visits, Dr. Gordan also attributes the migration of patients from community oncology practices to hospital-based settings. Add to this the challenges of value-based care, information technology costs, and an aging population with more patients stay-ing in treatment because they are living longer.
“As a physician, I am constantly concerned about the financial toxicity of cancer care. It is disappointing to see data that hospital-based cancer care is more expensive than community practices, while at the same time, more patients are being forced into hospitals,” Dr. Gordan says.
New Report Demonstrates the Value of Community Oncologycontinued from page 4
Unin+ended Consequences: The 340B Drug Discount Program
Another significant driver of the move to mergers and acquisitions, according to the report, is the 340B Drug Discount Program, a federal program that’s intended to help treat the indigent, uninsured, and underserved. 340B requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs at significantly lower prices to eligible healthcare organizations.
While many thought that the discounted price of drugs under this program would result in savings passed on to payers and patients, evidence indicates it’s had precisely the opposite effect, and it has contributed to raising costs for the very people it was intended to help. The COA found that in 2014 and 2015, 74.5% of the acquisitions of community oncology clinics were by hospitals with 340B drug discount pricing.
“More than a decade of data has consistently shown that hospitals are a tremendous driver of excessive spending on cancer care,” according to COA Executive Director Ted Okon. “Congress and the administration need to step forward and address this by reining in the abuses of the 340B program and implementing site payment parity. It is crazy that our country continues to push more and more cancer care into the much more expensive hospital setting as we seek ways to reduce runaway health care spending.”
Wha+ it Means for PatientsAs a result, patients diagnosed with cancer face a
daunting challenge in finding access to the affordable, high-quality care essential to an optimal outcome. They are confronted with increases in premiums, the disappearance of preferred provider organizations, and the unavailability of public health exchanges that provide adequate coverage.
Patients are also experiencing the economic strain of shifting payment models, insurance exchanges, practice consolidations, and administrative and regulatory challenges. Finally, they face a more limited oncology
workforce because of the difficulty of replacing retiring clinicians and the sparsity of oncologists in rural settings.
In addition to evaluating differences in costs, the study also looked at the Emergency Department (ED) visits made by patients receiving treatments at both hospitals and community-based oncology practices.
It found the rate of ED visits for cancer patients follow-ing chemotherapy were equally striking. Within 72 hours of receiving a chemotherapy infusion in a hospital outpatient setting, patients were 40% more likely to visit the ED. Within 10 days, hospital outpatients were 24% more likely to need ED care. It’s Dr. Gordan’s opinion that the cost differentials in the community setting are because of doctors and support staff who are, quite simply, more efficient.
“More than a decade of data has consistently shown that hospitals are a tremendous driver of excessive spending on cancer care… It is crazy that our country continues to push more and more cancer care into the much more expensive hospital setting as we seek ways to reduce runaway health care spending.”Ted OkonExecutive Director Community Oncology Alliance (COA)
Across All CancersThe study, which supports other reports
that have been conducted over the last decade but is more substantial, provides more specific information regarding types of cancers, performs a matched analysis between the hospital and community-based settings, and includes hospitalization and ED visits.
Its findings were dramatic: Across all cancers, the total cost of treatment for a patient receiving chemotherapy in a hospital outpatient setting is 59.9 % higher than for someone treated in a community practice – $20,060 compared to $12,548.
Taken on its own, the monthly cost of chemotherapy is 71% more expensive in a hospital setting – $8,443 compared to $4,933. Even more dramatic are the cost comparisons between physician visits, which are 333% higher at hospitals – $3,316 as compared to $765.
Where Do We Go From Here?The chief reason for doing the study,
according to Dr. Gordan, was to demonstrate that the incorporation of independent community-based oncology practices into hospitals would mean not only more expensive and less efficient care but also diminished access for those in small towns and rural settings.
“I hope we’ll get this study to Congress,” Dr. Gordan says. “I hope to inform them because policymakers, providers, payers and patients need to take a long hard look at the impact that site of care has on cancer patients, not just in terms of cost, but also in outcomes, quality of care and satisfaction. It is clear that community oncology should be the preferred, first-choice treatment setting for cancer patients.” +
Total Cost of Cancer Care in Hospital Setting
Compared with the same treatment delivered in independent, community oncology practices.Source: The Value of Community Oncology Site of Care Cost Analysis, September 25, 2017
Brea
st
Lung
46
Col
orec
tal
66%%54 %
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“One of the biggest breakthroughs has been the use of genomic testing, which got its start with breast cancer. It’s changed our decision-making process.
“Because I’m female, breast cancer has chosen me rather than me choosing breast cancer, so that’s a large part of my practice. If I saw a breast cancer patient 20 years ago, my decision on whether or not they needed chemotherapy was based on the size of the tumor and certain hormonal markers.
“Now, while we still use those initial markers, we test genes within the tumor that modeling determines are aggressive or non-aggressive. Patients that will benefit from chemotherapy can be reliably predicted based on this genomic testing. That’s enabled us to lessen therapy in many instances, because the testing tells us the patient will derive little benefit from chemotherapy and have a good prognosis without it. So, we’re able to avoid over-treating many patients.”
FCS is Helping Lead the Way to New TherapiesOne of the great benefits of being a part of FCS for both patients and doctors is that FCS participates in more community-based trials than any private practice in the country. Indeed, 84% of the new cancer drugs approved by the FDA in 2016 were studied in clinical trials at FCS.
Treatment’s Changing Landscape“The whole landscape of treatment has changed since chemotherapy’s development in the early 1960s, and so has the sense of helplessness that accompanied cancer.” According to the Doctor, the biggest growth has been in the increasingly success-ful use of targeted agents and immunotherapies. As a result, the role of medical oncologists has changed.
“We’ve learned over the last 10 years that if we test a cancer for markers that are altered and allowed to grow, we can develop drugs that directly target those abnormal markers on the cancer cells. It made the likelihood of durable response much higher,” Dr. Wright-Browne says.
“We’ve learned over the last 10 years that if we test a cancer for markers that are altered and allowed to grow, we can develop drugs that directly target those abnormal markers on the cancer cells. It made the likelihood of durable response much higher.”Vance Wright-Browne, MD
“We have so many patients at so many locations. We can put patients on clinical trials by providing far greater access than an individual group, and we have a very extensive trial menu,” Dr. Wright-Browne explains.
“We also have access to our drug development unit, where researchers are doing phenomenal work, developing even more novel drugs. We have research departments in Ft. Myers and Sarasota, and patients can go to either location.
“I think if there have been any surprises, it’s the rate at which change is accelerating and how dramatically technology is impacting medicine. I feel I’m having to put more effort into keeping up and staying abreast of new information than ever, because the field is changing exponentially. You just have to work really hard to make sure you get the newest and best treatments out there.”
Practicing Communi+y Oncology“We’re essentially a general oncology practice, so we see a wide range of cancers, and I find being a community-based oncologist very rewarding,” Dr. Wright-Browne says. “For example, in Port Charlotte, most of our patients are elderly, and driving is an issue. Many have caregiver responsibilities, and if there’s a complication – say a fever of 102 – the last thing you want is to be far away from the people who know your case.”
Dr. Wright-Browne with Nurse Practitioners Wendy Straitwell, ARNP-C, AOCNP (left), and Mary Scott ARNP-BC, AOCNP, FNP.
continued on page 10
A Conversa+ion with Dr. Vance Wright-BrowneA community-based oncologist considers the changes in cancer care over the course of her career.
“That’s just not good enough,” was Dr. Vance Wright-Browne’s response when, as a young medical student in her native Jamaica in the 1980s, she read in a physiology text that the average lifespan for a child with leukemia in 1954 was six weeks.
“It just horrified me. The thought of having to tell a parent that their child was going to die and there was nothing we could do about it. That was what first peaked my interest in oncology.”
Things have changed dramatically for children stricken with leukemia since then, just as they have with so many things related to cancer care. What hasn’t changed since 1996, when Dr. Wright-Browne moved to Florida and became the first female oncologist to join Florida Cancer Specialists, is her continuing passion for the work she does and her dedication to her patients.
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A Conversation with Dr. Vance Wright-Brownecontinued from page 9
Vance Wright-Browne, MD
Hometown Kingston, Jamaica
Undergraduate SchoolUniversity of West Indies
Medical SchoolUniversity of West Indies
Internship and ResidencyUniversity of Connecticut, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center; one year as Chief Resident
FellowshipUniversity of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center
Board CertificationHematologyInternal MedicineMedical Oncology
ing them for treatment, doing follow-ups (if they’re not in treatment any-more and simply being followed), or seeing new patients and trying to map out their treatment plans.
“I have a principle that when I see a new patient, I don’t leave the room until I’ve answered all their questions. All of them. I think that’s important.” This helps explain why the doctor is both a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and a Patients’ Choice Honoree.
Managing Se+backsDr. Wright-Browne says, “I think you have to be open to the idea that you are going to lose patients, but at least I have the ability to offer comfort. It helps the patient, and it helps me. You have to embrace the fact that people are people and that the patient is somebody’s child, or somebody’s mother or sister or brother. So, when you take care of the patient, you’ve got to realize they have a family and a life and your job is to try and navigate them through a really difficult time. I don’t always keep it together. Sometimes I cry. I write many patients’ families notes, and sometimes I think that’s for me as well as for the family.
“Oncology is interesting. We get thank you cards when technically we’ve failed. I can’t tell you how many cards I get from patients’ families after the patient has passed. But they’re still grateful because of what we did as they were passing through their journey. It’s a difficult journey. One of the things I believe strongly is that you can do one of two things when faced with a difficult situation: You can run away and hide, or you can try and deal with it. And with cancer, running away and hiding is not an answer. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have made the progress we’ve made.”
In her every word, Dr. Vance Wright-Browne shows her empathy for and commitment to those living with cancer. She is as unwavering as when that idealistic young medical student first read about children with leukemia 30 years ago, and she has never stopped working to make sure their care is “good enough.” +
When Dr. Wright-Browne joined FCS, she was one of two oncologists in the Port Charlotte office. Now the practice has expanded to five oncologists, and FCS has an office in North Port to serve that community.
“I think the challenges that drew me to the field are still the same, and the ability to make a difference is profoundly rewarding. Cancer is still an extraordi-narily scary word. I tell my patients that no one ever wants to meet an oncologist. But the thrill of taking a patient through one of the scariest things that ever happened to them – and prevailing – is still there.”
A Typical Day“I usually get up at 5:30. On days I visit patients in the hospital, which now is about one day a week, I’m there between 6:30 and 7. Port Charlotte is unique in that it is a small town that has three hospitals, so I go to wherever my patients are. I usually get to the office between 8 and 8:30. I go through the day’s agenda with the nurse practitioner, and then spend all day seeing patients.
“I have two nurse practitioners, and between us, we see 25 to 30 patients a day. When you’re seeing patients in your office, you’re assessing them, send-
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“I have a principle that when I see a new patient, I don’t leave the room until I’ve answered all their questions. All of them. I think that’s important.”Vance Wright-Browne, MD
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People + Places
The FCS Brooksville office (7154 Medical Center Drive, Spring Hill) is the first community oncology location in the area to have a Varian VitalBeam™ linear accelerator (LINAC), which utilizes new technology that enables our physicians to provide patients with cutting-edge radiation therapy. Delivering high-energy X-rays or electrons to the region of the patient’s tumor, the LINAC is used to treat all parts and organs of the body.
For patients who need both medical oncology and radiation therapy, FCS now offers the convenience of having both treatments available under one roof.
FCS Founder and President Dr. William Harwin said, “While FCS is best known for the national benchmarks we have set in medical oncology and for our clinical research program, the practice does have strategic locations within our network that also provide radiation oncology, including the center in Brooksville. In every one of these centers, we are accredited for radiation treatment, maintain the very highest professional standards and employ an outstanding team of radiation
Varian VitalBeam™ Linear Accelerator Introduced in Brooksville, FL
oncologists, medical physicists, dosimetrists, radiation therapists and oncology nurses.”
Radiation oncologist Dr. Sawsan Bishay said, “In addition to precisely targeting each tumor, the new VitalBeam™ enables us to customize radiation treatment for each individual patient. It also increases the types of radiation therapy we can now provide, including Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) for small lesions in the brain and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for solitary lesions in the body. SBRT also allows us to apply a very high dose of radiation in as few as one to five treatments.”
Dr. Larry Gandle, who is also a radiation oncologist at the FCS Brooksville location, explained, “The LINAC also has Rapid Arc capability, which allows us to provide Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT). With this new technology, we can place the radiation beams and adjust the intensity of the beams on and around a tumor, providing maxi-mum dose delivery to the tumor while sparing adjacent healthy tissues from the radiation.” +
FCS Expands Port Charlotte Cancer CenterFlorida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS), the leading community oncology/hematology practice in the state, held a ribbon-cutting ceremonyto celebrate the expansion of the Port Charlotte cancer center, 22395 Edgewater Drive, Port Charlotte. Physicians practicing in Port Charlotte include Drs. Christopher Lobo, Eric Lubiner, Ivor Percent and Vance Wright-Browne (see our story on Dr. Wright-Browne in this issue). Dr. Alexander Glick recently joined the group and practices at the FCS North Port location.
The renovation added five exam rooms and increased the number of chemo-therapy chairs by almost 50 percent, enhancing patient convenience.
People + Places
Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation Welcomes Two New Board MembersThe Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation Board recently welcomed two new members, Jeffrey Phipps Sr., AWMA (L), and John Shwiner (R).
Mr. Phipps, senior member of the Phipps Group, has been working in the financial services industry since 1970 and at Merrill Lynch since 2008. He also serves on the boards of directors for the Lake Worth Drainage District and the Mounts Botanical Garden, and as the director of the Palm Beach County Historical Society.
Mr. Shwiner is a Vietnam veteran who worked for Gulf Oil/Chevron for more than 40 years. He served as president of Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County’s “Student Crime Stoppers” program and was twice awarded “Civilian of the Year” recognition. He is the Lead Volunteer at the FCS Clinic in Wellington (see our story in this issue).
Celebrating the recent expansion of the FCS Port Charlotte cancer center are (L-R) Christopher Lobo, MD; Eric Lubiner, DO; Vance Wright-Browne, MD; Alexander Glick, MD, and Ivor Percent, MD.
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1 Deborah Z. Glick, MD, has joined Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute and is seeing patients at the Naples West office, 681 Fourth Ave. North, Naples, and the Bonita Springs office, 9776 Bonita Beach Road SE, Suite 201A, Bonita Springs.
2 Liliana Bustamante, MD, has joined FCS and is seeing patients at three FCS locations in Lee County: the Cay West office, 1708 Cape Coral Parkway West, Suite 10, Cape Coral; the Colonial office, 8931 Colonial Center Drive, Suite 300, Fort Myers; and the North Fort Myers Cancer Center, 1030 Commerce Creek Blvd., Cape Coral.
3, 4, 5 Augusto E. Villegas, MD; Elizabeth C. Kent, MD; and Jeffrey A. Bubis, DO, FACOA, FACP, have joined FCS and are practicing at a new location in Clay County – the Fleming Island office, 4689 US Highway 17, Suites 2-5, Fleming Island.
6 Mohammad K. Kamal, MD, has joined FCS and is seeing patients at a new Ocala office, 2820 SE Third Court, Suite 200, Ocala.
Expanded news releases and complete physician bios can be found at the FCS website: FLCancer.com.
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Hurricane Irma triggered one of the nation’s larg-est natural disaster-related power outages, with an estimated 62 percent of Florida’s 10.5 million households left in the dark. Around 12,000 utility technicians came from as far away as Canada and the West Coast to help with clean up and restora-tion. A young lineman from Illinois (who asked to remain anonymous) is one of those good Samaritans.
The day after Irma cleared Central Florida, as Officer Manager Jennifer Smith was leaving the FCS Deland office, she was approached by one of the electrical workers who had caravanned into the parking lot next door. He explained that he had been undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in his hometown, but due to the storm’s interruptions of services and travel, he was worried that he might not make it back in time to receive his final chemo treatment, which was scheduled for Friday, September 15.
Jennifer arranged for him to see Dr. Ernesto Bustinza the next day, coordinated with his wife and made sure that his medical records were sent to FCS, and his oncologist was contacted. He was
NEW DOCTORS/UPDATES
People + Places People + Places
FCS Physicians Collect and Ship Supplies to Hurricane-Ravaged Puerto RicoThanks to the support of Florida Cancer Specialists physicians, over $5,000 worth of supplies were collected and shipped to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Supplies included water, diapers, wipes, baby formula, first aid kits, bandages, antibiotic cream, toothbrushes and canned food.
Pictured L-R: Florida Cancer Specialists Chief Marketing & Sales Officer Shelly Glenn, Physician Liaison Kay Simpkins, Dr.Muhammad Imam, Dr. Meera Iyengar, CEO Brad Prechtl, Regional Director of Operations Lynn Sawyer, Senior Physician Liaison Rhonda Webster, and Associate Regional Director of Operations Annie Pigue.
In the Wake of Hurricane Irma, an Illinois Lineman Finds a Healing Hand in Central Florida
then scheduled to have his final chemo treatment at FCS on Friday.
However, an unforeseen circumstance occurred, and he was not able to get his scheduled treat-ment. As Jennifer explained, “He was neutropenic and his port was infected. Dr. Bustinza contacted Interventional Radiology to get him in at Florida Hospital Deland, then drove him to the hospital, where his port was removed.”
On Monday, September 18, our intrepid lineman returned to the FCS Deland office and received his final treatment among newfound friends at Florida Cancer Specialists.
His wife, who happens to be an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, posted on Facebook:
“I know how important great, quality care is, and you all have gone above and beyond. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking care of my husband during a time that I cannot be with him. You will never know how much your hos-pitality and kindness means to this linewife and my lineman. God bless you and may God bless Florida!” +
Dr. Michael Diaz Appointed to Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee
FCS medical oncologist and hematologist Dr. Michael Diaz was one of six physicians recently appointed to the Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee by Florida Governor Rick Scott. Dr. Diaz succeeds Dr. Mark Hudak and was appointed for a term beginning October 17, 2017, and ending June 30, 2019.
Dr. Diaz commented, “Previously, there was no oncology representation on the Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee. I am very grateful to have this opportunity to serve as a committee member and hope to provide insight from the field of oncology and hematology.”
A member of the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute team since 2011, Dr. Diaz practices at the two FCS locations in St. Petersburg. He currently serves on the FCS Executive Board and as Director of Patient Advocacy for the practice. Dr. Diaz also serves as Vice-Chair on the Board of Directors for the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation, and on the Board of Directors and as the Immediate Past President for the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO).
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Small Gestures Make Big DifferencesFor John Shwiner, volunteering at Florida Cancer Specialists’ Wellington Center is “the most rewarding job I can think of.”
FCS Foundation Update +
John Shwiner believes in the spirit of volunteerism. Just consider this list of organizations with which he’s involved: Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach, Junior Achievement, and the community advisory board of the Palm Beach Sheriff’s office.
Fortunately, Florida Cancer Specialists is another recipient of this Wellington resident’s time, talents and considerable attention. A retired retail oil consultant, John believes in giving back to his community and has recently accepted a seat on the FCS Foundation’s board of directors.
The experience of being a caregiver for his wife of 30 years, Karen, a cancer survivor, led John to feel he could help at the Florida Cancer Specialists’ office near his home by providing non-medical assistance that would ease the experience of patients undergo-ing infusion.
“It’s my job is to make folks feel welcome,” says this Vietnam veteran, explaining how he spends his volunteer time at the Center. “I give them a tour of the facilities, provide warm blankets, and provide beverages and snacks.”
His response is more than modest. He’s introduced coloring books to help relieve stress. He’s printed labels with the center’s Wi-Fi address and taped them to the trays beside the infusion chairs, so patients know how to stay connected or listen to their playlists. He’s even designed certificates that patients receive on their last day of chemo. He’s willing to do whatev-er he can to create a less stressful, more welcoming environment.
As the Center’s lead volunteer, John does the administrative and scheduling work for his fellow volunteers. He’s also put together a luncheon for his cohorts to help forge a more cohesive group, the
members of which will fill in for one another if someone is going to be late or absent. “Nowwe operate more like a family,” he explains.
“Providing a warm blanket and getting a thank you…these are things you can’t put a value on. Helping someone is the way we’re supposed to be, so being there for someone is its own reward.”
Our reward is having
John as a part of our volunteer family. +
FCS Foundation Update +
A Lesson in Generosity
“Providing a warm blanket and getting a thank you…these are things you can’t put a value on. Helping someone is the way we’re supposed to be, so being there for someone is its own reward.” John Shwiner
When Barbara Long’s fiancé proved to be “Mr. Wrong” and she called off her wedding, she had already paid for the venue for the wedding reception. While some friends suggested a big “moving-on” party, Barbara knew she “wanted to use the space to bless someone else.”
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So, after some consultation with her wedding planner, Barbara did exactly what you would expect this dedicated, charismatic 8th-grade teacher to do. She decided to donate the venue to a nonprofit con-nected with cancer. Several people close to Barbara had been touched by the disease. Her dad, Tommy, had been diagnosed with a stage 4 lymphoma (now in remission) and two of the teachers with whom she works had had double mastectomies battling breast cancer.
She had seen the struggle friends had endured up close, particularly single mothers who had to choose between getting chemo and paying rent.
“Why should anyone have to choose between them?” she wondered. Well aware of the difficulties someone battling cancer faced, she wanted to raise money to help while raising awareness. Her empathy led her to a generous decision.
Finding the FoundationBefore making a decision, Barbara did extensive
research about the organizations to which she considered offering the venue. Her one critical criteria was that the nonprofit she chose would give 100 percent of its donations to the people it served. That led her to the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation.
Barbara contacted the FCS Foundation, which quickly and gratefully accepted her generous offer of help for their first annual fundraiser. Of course, with the event only six months away, there were considerable logistics to be finalized. After all, both Barbara and the Foundation hoped to make this a successful fundraiser, while also making it a fun experience for all who attended. They succeeded beyond their wildest expectations.
50 Shades of PinkThe evening’s theme took its cue from a popular
bestseller and dubbed itself Fifty Shades of Pink. A bit of irony for Barbara, whose wedding gown was to have been pink. With no regrets, she wore pink to the event.
“Why should anyone have to choose between [getting chemo and paying their rent]?”Barbara Long
Above: Barbara Long and her fiance, Eric Newkirk, arrived in “roaring 20s” style at this year’s FCS Foundation fundraiser, Fifty Shades of Roaring Pink.
Opposite: Barbara and Eric make a splash while planning their fall 2017 wedding.
“It was a night filled with fun,” Barbara says, “Dinner, dancing, music, a silent auction and lots of laughter.”
There was also a fashion show in which Ms. Long modeled, along with several nurses and doctors. “We must have looked good,” she says with a laugh, “we raised more than $23,000.”
“After it was over, the Foundation called and asked if I’d participate in future events. I agreed. We’d accomplished so much and had so much fun.”
All’s Well That Ends WellA graduate of Bethune Cookman University in
Daytona Beach with a masters’ degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida, Barbara has been in the classroom for 18 years. Her class at the Dr. John Long Middle School consists of a mix of students with and without learning disabilities.
“It’s amazing how much each has to offer the other,” she observes. And, like so many of her fellow teachers, she has reached into her own pocket to supplement what the district pays for. Helping others comes naturally to Barbara.
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Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS), founded in 1984, is the largest independent medical oncology/hematology practice in the United States, with 100 locations. FCS delivers world-class cancer care in community-based settings, providing innovative clinical research and cutting-edge technologies that help advance targeted treatments and genetically-based immunotherapies.
FCS serves patients on the Gulf coast from Naples to Tallahassee, in central Florida communities, and on the east coast from Palm Coast to Palm Beach County.
For a listing of locations, helpful information about your first visit, and other patient resources, visit FLCancer.com
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Have a suggestion for editorial content?Interested in sponsoring our next issue?Contact Maria Ramos-Person: [email protected]
It’s for these reasons that a story like Barbara’s should have a happy ending, and it does. After allowing her heart to heal, her “Mr. Right” appeared in the person of Eric Newkirk. The couple had known one another for nearly a decade as friends, and their friendship blossomed into love. A medical student at the University of South Florida, Eric plans a career as an orthopedic surgeon. It’s hard to imagine a better partner for Barbara, who hopes one day to open an academic center that would help bridge the gap between schools and parents.
The couple became engaged in September 2016 and married in November of this year. And they, of course, attended this year’s FCS Foundation fundraiser, Fifty Shades of Roaring Pink, as part of their prenuptial celebrations. All’s well that ends well – for Barbara and for the many cancer patients her generosity has touched. +
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Clinical Trials at Florida Cancer Specialists
Florida Cancer Specialists and Sarah Cannon Research Institute, one of the world’s leading clinical research organizations, have joined forces to bring innovative treatment options to patients throughout Florida. Together, Sarah Cannon and FCS have enrolled more than 6,000 patients in studies to find more effective treatments for many types of cancer.
Those interested in participating in one of our clinical trials can visit the Clinical Trials page of our website and search for a trial by clinic location, cancer type and other criteria.
Referring physicians and their patients are encouraged to visit the Understanding and Participating in Clinical Trials page of our website.
Two informative videos, Why Should I enroll in a Clinical Trial? and What to Expect While Enrolled in a Clinical Trial, can also be found on that page.
Of the new cancer drugs approved for use in the United States in 2016, 84 percent were studied in clinical trials conducted with FCS participation.**Prior to approval
84%
