AON Specialty Pharmacy Impacting Community-Based Oncology Practices

AON Specialty Pharmacy, the in-house specialty pharmacy of the American Oncology Network, and Humana recently signed a new multi-year agreement that provides Humana members with in-network access to a range of pharmacy services.

The AON Specialty Pharmacy works exclusively on behalf of more than 70 physicians in its growing network of community-based oncology practices across 11 states to ensure quality and safety and effective treatment outcomes for their patients. With its recent addition to Humana, the AON Specialty Pharmacy is now an in-network provider with the top five pharmacy benefit managers in the country.  

American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Launched in 2018, the rapidly growing AON network represents 73 physicians and 41 nurse practitioners and physician assistants practicing across 11 states.

The centralized state-of-the-art pharmacy, based in Fort Myers, Florida, has ready access to 99 percent of the available oral oncolytics, and can quickly dispense medications and supplies directly to patient homes.  Staff members coordinate insurance claims and even make connections to financial assistance programs.

The use of oral oncolytics, targeted therapies that are taken in an oral form for the treatment of cancer, has increased substantially in the past several years.  Oral anti-cancer medications currently comprise 25 percent to 35 percent of the oncology treatments provided to patients nationwide.

AON Specialty Pharmacy recently achieved URAC accreditation. By achieving this status, AON Pharmacy demonstrated a comprehensive commitment to quality care, improved processes and better patient outcomes.

AON provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per-capita cost of cancer care.

AON also provides a unique model of physician led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients’ experiences will be at the very pinnacle of cancer care today.

Takeaway: The use of oral chemotherapy drugs in cancer treatment is rapidly increasing as is the need to quickly dispense medications and supplies directly to patient homes