May 6, 2020 – Nashville, TN --  OneOncology, the national partnership of independent community oncologists, today announced that Jeff Patton, MD has been named Chief Executive Officer. Patton has been Acting CEO and President of Physician Services since February.

“Dr Patton is a visionary leader with high integrity who understands community oncology and how practices can thrive in today’s changing environment better than anyone else in the country,” said David Chernow, Chairman of the Board, OneOncology. “Especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Patton’s leadership, vision, and track record of success are exactly the necessary ingredients to continue OneOncology’s momentum and help its partner practices grow.”

Jeff Vacirca, MD, Board Member, OneOncology said: “I’ve had the privilege of knowing and working with Dr. Patton for more than 15 years. There are not many physician leaders who have accomplished what he has during his career, and he has served as a mentor to me throughout this time. His experience, leadership and commitment to community oncology and those of us who’ve chosen to practice in the community setting, make him the perfect person to lead OneOncology.”  

OneOncology is comprised of five prominent practices throughout the U.S. representing over 400 providers caring for approximately 250,000 patients annually at 160 sites of care. OneOncology partner practices deliver integrated oncology care services across the continuum of care from screening and diagnosis to clinical trials and therapies to survivorship or end-of-life care. A main responsibility of OneOncology is to help its partner practices expand services along the continuum on cancer care.

“I’m honored to lead such a dynamic partnership that helps community oncology practices grow and care for their patients,” Dr. Patton said.  “We formed OneOncology in 2018 with the idea that with physician leadership, common technology platforms, and access to capital, practices could have both the necessary scale and local decision-making authority needed to not only survive but thrive in today’s marketplace. Today, as practices grapple with COVID-19 and plan for caring for patients post peak, the ideas that brought us together are exactly what will propel our future growth.”

As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and private payers move more toward reimbursing for episodes of care rather than services provided, OneOncology practice physicians have demonstrated proven leadership navigating value-based medicine. Participants in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) Oncology Care Model (OCM), OneOncology practice physicians have published significant research demonstrating the OCM unintendedly leaves physicians on the hook for the high cost of novel therapies, and offering recommendations for improving the next iteration of value-based payment models in oncology, the Oncology Care First model.  A deep understanding of value-based models and approaches is increasingly important as healthcare transition from paying for volume to value.

Dr. Patton will continue as the Executive Chairman of the Board, Tennessee Oncology.