Cancer Patients, Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology Advocate for Local Cancer Care
As Community Oncology Clinics Threatened, Cancer Patients, Survivors Speak Out Through CPAN Chapter
At Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology, we are committed to giving our patients quality care right here in Fort Wayne”
BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, July 26, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Local community oncology advocates met today at Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology in Fort Wayne, Indiana to learn about the critical issues facing the delivery of cancer care and treatment by community oncology clinics.— Lakshmi Aggarwal, MD, Medical Oncologist
The educational event brought together cancer patients and survivors, caregivers and family members, oncology and other medical professionals, and community members seeking to preserve local, quality, affordable cancer care for all. For cancer patients, having care that’s close to home is especially important – a task that has become tougher as nearly 400 community oncology clinics have closed nationwide since 2008, due in part to Medicare payment policies. At the same time, many hospitals and health systems are consolidating, leaving fewer locally owned or managed options for cancer patients.
“At Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology, we are committed to giving our patients quality care right here in Fort Wayne,” said Lakshmi Aggarwal, MD, Medical Oncologist. “As a physician, I am excited to help our patients make their voices heard nationally.”
The educational event was held in coordination with the Community Oncology Alliance’s Patient Advocacy Alliance (CPAN), a nationally recognized patient advocacy group that gives patients, survivors and others a vital voice in both sharing their experiences and advocating for their community cancer care. There are active CPAN chapters across the country and advocates are regularly in Washington, D.C. talking to members of Congress and federal policymakers about the importance of community oncology, where the majority of patients receive their care.
Rose Gerber, director of patient advocacy and education for COA, a non-profit organization dedicated solely to preserving and protecting access to community cancer care, cited the need for changes in how Medicare pays for cancer care for its beneficiaries. When community oncology clinics close, patients are often treated in hospitals, where treatments can cost 50 percent more for both patients and taxpayers.
“Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology helps Fort Wayne patients receive state-of-the-art, personalized care close to their homes,” Gerber said. “All too often, they’re the ones that suffer the most when local, affordable cancer care is threatened by misguided government policies,” Gerber said. “Thanks to the leadership of Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology, cancer patients, family members, and survivors now have access to a powerful, national advocacy network.”
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About the Community Oncology Alliance (COA):
The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is a non-profit organization dedicated solely to preserving and protecting access to community cancer care, where the majority of Americans with cancer are treated. COA leads community cancer clinics in navigating an increasingly challenging environment to provide efficiencies, patient advocacy, and proactive solutions to Congress and policy makers. To learn more about COA visit www.CommunityOncology.org.
About the COA Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN):
The Community Oncology Alliance Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) was created in recognition of the vital role patients should play in advocating for access to local, affordable cancer care for all. CPAN is a non-cancer type-specific, national network representing patients, cancer survivors, caregivers, family members, medical and oncology professionals, and other advocates. To learn more visit www.COAadvocacy.org .
About Fort Wayne Medical Oncology Hematology:
Since its incorporation on May 18, 1977, Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology, Inc., has focused on one thing: providing the very best in cancer care to patients in northeast Indiana. Through all the changes we’ve undergone since then, our focus has never changed. No matter where our offices are located, how many physicians join our team or what other facilities are offering, Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology will always offer the most experienced care. We will also continue to plan your treatment around you – your life, your needs and your comfort. To learn more visit www.fwmoh.com
Community Oncology Alliance
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Nicolas Ferreyros
What Is Community Oncology?
