Kathy Oubre, Chief Executive Officer at Pontchartrain Cancer Center, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Today at the National Press Club, the energy at the COA State of Community Oncology Meeting was unmistakable.
Community oncology is not standing still. We are innovating – every single day.
Across the country, independent practices are:
- Bringing clinical trials directly into the communities where patients live
- Delivering CAR-T and other cellular therapies outside of academic walls
- Administering bispecific (BiTE) therapies safely and effectively in community settings
- Integrating precision diagnostics, navigation, and multidisciplinary care closer to home
This is what innovation in practice looks like.
We are proving that cutting-edge cancer care does not require patients to travel hours away from their families, jobs, and support systems. It can – and should – happen in their own communities.
Yes, we face headwinds. Reimbursement pressure. Utilization management barriers. Policy uncertainty. Consolidation forces.
But what stood out today is that community oncology continues to adapt, invest, and lead anyway.
We are building infrastructure for advanced therapies.
We are expanding research networks.
We are collaborating across practices and states.
We are advocating for policies that protect patient access.
Stronger together is not a slogan – it is our operating model.
When we align physicians, advanced practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, administrators, and advocates, we create a system that is nimble, patient-centered, and resilient.
Cancer care innovation is not confined to ivory towers. It is thriving in local clinics, infusion suites, and research departments.
Proud to stand alongside leaders (and friends) who believe that the future of oncology must include strong, independent community oncology practices – delivering hope, innovation, and access where patients need it most.
The work continues.”
Other articles featuring Kathy Oubre on OncoDaily.
