Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Participates in Global Gathering to Share Advances in Oncology Pharmacy Services

Fort Myers, Fla., May 6, 2022 —Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute clinicians and leaders shared the latest advances in oncology pharmacy operations and dispensing practices at the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association (NCODA) 2022 Spring Forum held last month in Atlanta. The multi-day gathering of global oncology care professionals delved into new opportunities to enhance the value of pharmacy services within medically integrated oncology practices.

Several discussions involved leaders from Rx To Go, the in-house oral oncolytic pharmacy of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, that works exclusively with the statewide practice’s physicians, clinicians and patients to provide timely dispensing and convenient home delivery of medications. The expert Rx To Go team of pharmacists, technicians and staff deliver an advanced level of personalized assistance and disease management so that patients achieve optimal clinical outcomes.

A keynote presentation by Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Medical Oncologist Michel Velez, MD was entitled: Tukysa (tucatinib) A Treatment Option for Patients with HER2+Metastatic Breast Cancer

Serving as panelists during interactive workshops and discussions were:

• Ray Bailey, BPharm, RPh, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Senior Director of Pharmacy Services – NCODA’s Non-Profit Partner Update & Donor Story: Be the Match
• Chris Elder, PharmD, BCOP, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Clinical Oncology Pharmacist – Putting Positive Quality Interventions into Action: Consistent Clinical Standards & NCODA Resources
• Natasha Khrystolubova, RPh, BPharm, BCOP, Director of Pharmacy Clinical Services for RXTOGO Pharmacy, and Amy Terhune, CPhT, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Prior Authorization Supervisor – Prior Authorizations & Multiple Appeal process: How to Build a Stronger Appeal
• Kara Sammons, CPhT, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Associate Director of Pharmacy Services – NCODA’s Center of Excellence Medically Integrated Pharmacy Accreditation

A poster entitled Burden of Chemotherapy-Induced Myelosuppression Among Patients with Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Study of Data from Community Oncology Practices provides a look at “real world” data for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) and the burden of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression (CIM). Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Medical Oncologist Lowell L. Hart, MD, FACP, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Director of Pharmacy Operations Kristen Boykin, PharmD, RPh/CPh, BCOP, BCPS, FCS Senior Director of Pharmacy Services Ray Bailey, BPharm, RPh and FCS Chief Medical Officer Therapeutics and Analytics Lucio N. Gordan, MD were collaborators in the study which shows that CIM has a significant trilineage impact that patients experience early in therapy. These findings are contrary to the popular bias that CIM only shows up in one cell line or later in therapy.

Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute President & Managing Physician Michael Diaz, MD said, “Given the continued rapid rise of oral oncolytic pharmaceuticals in the treatment of all forms of cancer, we are proud to partner with NCODA to share and learn alongside our colleagues to help improve pharmacy operations and, ultimately, patient outcomes worldwide.”

“Our Rx To Go team continues to meet and exceed best practice standards for oral oncolytic pharmacy services and quality improvement initiatives,” said Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute Chief Executive Officer Nathan H. Walcker, adding that Rx To Go is accredited by URAC for Specialty Pharmacy, Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) with Oncology Distinction, and dually accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) for specialty pharmacy. Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute is also NABP accredited for digital pharmacy practice.

NCODA is a globally recognized not-for-profit organization dedicated to building a patient-centered, medically integrated community of health care providers whose focus is to innovate the continuity of cancer care so that every patient receives the maximum benefit from their cancer treatment.