Rethinking Cancer Care: A Patient-Centric Approach

For a patient facing a cancer diagnosis, nothing is more important than their treatment outcome. Will I survive? What will my quality of life be?

Unfortunately, healthcare delivery today is primarily incentivized by the amount of care provided rather than the results of that care. This traditional fee-for-service model is a major contributor to the rising costs of healthcare across the country and the financial burden that a serious diagnosis carries for patients and their families.
From our first clinic in Downey in 2007, to the nearly 50 practice locations across the country today, The Oncology Institute of Hope an Innovation (TOI) spends each day tackling the challenges of oncology care and rethinking how we can achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients.

WORLD-CLASS CANCER CARE, CLOSE TO HOME 
At TOI, we offer the best of what you get from a local private practice with the benefits of a large academic institution. Our clinics are conveniently located in the communities we serve, removing transportation barriers and ensuring patients spend more time with family and less time on the freeway. Additionally, because we offer specialized services including in-house labs, transfusions, and dispensary, patients can access more of the care they need in a familiar environment.

TREATING THE WHOLE PATIENT 
Our High Value Cancer Care (HVCC) reorients care to focus on the patients and their outcomes, rather than the amount of care given. The HVCC program assigns every patient a healthcare coach who provides constant monitoring and adjusts patients’ care plans to address side effects of therapy such as nausea and pain. It also allows for superior appointment coordination, whether in person or via telemedicine, dramatically improving patient experience and reducing the need to turn to overcrowded emergency departments or acute care facilities to make it through treatment successfully.

This model has been validated through independent research by Stanford University which concluded that patients under our care experience:
• 30% fewer hospitalizations
• 25% lower health care costs
• 14% higher patient satisfaction  

Avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations has been especially important to our often immune-compromised patient population during the Covid-19 pandemic.

CUTTING-EDGE TREATMENTS FOR ALL 
Central to our mission is increasing access to leading treatment options. TOI is the only community-based provider on the West Coast offering outpatient stem cell transplants. This innovative approach to a critically important treatment allows patients to conveniently access care close to home and spend their recovery with their caregiver instead of alone in a hospital room.

Additionally, TOI rivals major academic institutions with the number of clinical trials offered through our research arm, the Innovative Clinical Research Institute (ICRI), which screens every patient for eligibility to more than 130 active trials. By going that extra mile, we can connect patients to lifesaving and life-changing treatments.

“None of the trials for Cold AIHA would accept me,” said Nancy, a TOI patient. “But The Oncology Institute did. Today is my 732nd  day on the clinical trial. 732 days of living!”

ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY 
Another benefit of our community-based approach to medicine is that our compassionate medical staff is integrated into the fabric of the local community. Our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve, providing culturally relevant care. In fact, our clinical team speaks more than 20 languages, ensuring every patient and family is heard.

PERSONALIZED CARE WITH A DEEP BENCH
Building a strong rapport with an oncologist is an important step in a patient’s treatment journey. Our physicians feel a deep connection to their patients and are committed to learning about their unique goals and needs. In addition to that personal relationship, TOI patients get the benefit of the 80+ colleagues within our physician network. Our employed physician model breeds a strong culture of collaboration and mutual respect, meaning each patient has the knowledge and expertise of the entire TOI team at their fingertips.

By centering care on the patient, focusing on outcomes, and constantly innovating, TOI is changing oncology care for the better.

Brad Hively serves as the CEO of The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation.

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