RainTree Oncology Services Launches Oral Oncology Pharmaceutical Programs to Enhance Cancer Care

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- RainTree Oncology Services (RainTree Oncology), a privately-held company, announced the launch of new oral oncologic drug acquisition and management services to support care in community oncology practices, which treat the majority of cancer patients in the United States. The Company said that it has already signed agreements with several of the largest community oncology practices in the United States, including Florida Cancer Specialists, Cancer Care Associates of Fresno, Clearview Cancer Institute, Georgia Cancer Specialists, Cancer Specialists of North Florida, Michiana Hematology Oncology, PC, New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants, Ltd., Oncology Hematology Care, the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders and Tennessee Oncology.

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"Targeted oral therapies provide significant health and quality-of-life benefits for cancer patients," said Dr. Jeffrey Patton, RainTree Oncology chief medical officer. "Yet patients often encounter difficulty filling prescriptions due to cost, which can delay treatment. Additionally, physicians cannot easily monitor their patients' utilization of oral drugs. Therefore, RainTree Oncology has an opportunity to help implement best practices that will positively impact cancer care."                     

"We believe RainTree Oncology is bringing together expertise and services to help community oncologists manage their patients' oral drug experiences – and is doing this with a focus on the needs of patients and their community-based physicians," said Dr. William Harwin, a member of the RainTree Oncology advisory board and president and managing partner of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, the nation's largest privately-owned cancer and hematology practice. "Oral drugs are the future and they need to be provided in community oncologist practices to ensure patients get the proper cancer treatment."

RainTree Oncology aims to improve efficiencies within community oncology practices in several ways. 1) by facilitating the formation of a community oncology network allied with RainTree Oncology through which members can obtain oral oncology pharmaceuticals at favorable contracted prices; 2) by helping with the implementation of on-site pharmacies for those practices that do not have one, providing added convenience for patients and an important source of revenue for physicians; and 3) by providing practice pharmacists with unique automated tools that will allow them to more easily track prescribing and fulfillment of oral oncology medications in practices, in order to improve patient adherence to prescribed therapeutics.

By setting up on-site pharmacies, practices will be able to offer patients both targeted assistance through expanded pharmacy services specifically addressing oncology patients' oral oncology prescription drug needs, and access to patient assistance programs targeted to their diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Patients also enjoy the convenience of in-office pharmacy services.

Oral drug acquisition and management can be particularly problematic as the drugs are expensive and often under reimbursed. Because of the expense, patients' out of pocket costs can be as high as 25 to 50 percent of total cost. Oral oncology therapeutics account for approximately 25 to 35 percent of oncology drugs in development.

In addition to adding some of the nation's largest community oncology practices to its membership, RainTree Oncology has also added: San Diego Pacific Hematology and Oncology, Contra Costa Oncology, Sanford Health, Inc., Nevada Cancer Centers, Space Coast Cancer Center, Cancer Health Treatment Centers, Northwest Oncology Hematology and Monterey Bay Oncology.

In the United States, community oncologists treat four out of five cancer patients. Increasingly, changes in healthcare economics are impacting how these practices operate, putting pressure on their ability to deliver essential services to their patients. In addition, rates of acquisitions by or mergers with hospitals have risen, reducing healthcare provider options for cancer patients.

About RainTree Oncology Services

RainTree Oncology Services provides leading-edge Oral Drug Acquisition and Management services that make a difference in the lives of cancer patients by helping community oncology practices expand services and improve patient care, enhancing the economic model of community oncology practices and pioneering an integrated information network between physicians, payors and manufacturers to advance state of the art in oral oncology. RainTree Oncology is physician centric, patient focused and community minded.

For more information about RainTree Oncology Services: www.raintreeoncology.com.

SOURCE RainTree Oncology Services