By Joining Tennessee Oncology, UOHA Expands Suite of Cancer Care Services and Clinical Trials

April 21, 2020; Nashville, TN –  OneOncology, the national network of independent community oncologists, today announced that University Oncology Hematology Associates (UOHA), which serves patients in Chattanooga, TN will join Tennessee Oncology, making it the most recent practice to affiliate with OneOncology and second so far in 2020.  

OneOncology is responsible for assisting partner practices expand their services along the continuum of cancer care from screening and diagnosis to clinical trials and therapies to survivorship or end-of-life care. With access to OneOncology technology, integration support and capital, Tennessee Oncology is able to create a partnership with UOHA that expands patients’ access in Chattanooga to cutting-edge oncology care, including clinical trial research, in the community setting.   

UOHA will continue to serve patients at the same clinic locations at 979 E. 3rd Street, Suite A540/550 (423.778.9250), and 1635 Gunbarrel Road, Suite 300 (423.778.9250). UOHA’s six medical oncologists and three advanced practice providers join Tennessee Oncology’s 95 physicians and 55 advanced practice providers across the state and North Georgia and OneOncology’s network of more than 400 physicians practicing at more than 160 sites of care and serving approximately 215,000 patients annually.

“We chose to join Tennessee Oncology and the physicians in the OneOncology network so we could chart our own future and expand our patients’ access to additional resources, especially clinical trials,” said Matt Graham, MD, Managing Partner, UOHA. “Having the ability to utilize a physician-led and tailored technology and analytics platform, clinical trial research network, and access to engaged specialist and sub-specialist colleagues will enhance our ability to provide care along the entire cancer care continuum. These were all important factors in our decision, and we know will prove to be high value to the patients we serve. Importantly, we also look forward to continuing our strong local relationships to improve the lives of everyone in Chattanooga who is living with cancer.”

At this time of incredible stress imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, expanding patients’ access to comprehensive cancer care resources and caring for the entire community are more paramount than ever. In partnership with Tennessee Oncology, UOHA will continue to serve all patients, including providing indigent care, in the Chattanooga community. Throughout the state, Tennessee Oncology distributes and administers approximately $51 million of drugs free to patients annually through manufacturer patient assistance programs and additionally assists patients in obtaining $20 million in foundation and manufacturer copay assistance.

“The addition of UOHA in Chattanooga demonstrates the value of the OneOncology partnership,” said Ted Arrowsmith, MD, Managing Partner, Tennessee Oncology Chattanooga. “With access to the expertise and resources a practice requires to care for patients today, OneOncology provides a way forward for oncologists who understand what it takes to operate a healthy practice and offer patients cancer care services in today’s changing care and reimbursement landscape.”

Tennessee Oncology and OneOncology are proven leaders in value-based medicine. A participant in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) Oncology Care Model (OCM), Tennessee Oncology physicians and experts published significant research this year 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.

“We are thrilled that the physicians at UOHA have chosen to join Tennessee Oncology locally and OneOncology at the national level,” said Jeff Patton, MD, OneOncology’s Acting Chief Executive Officer and President of Physician Services. “Partnering with the physicians at UOHA is an important development for community cancer care in Tennessee, which will expand patients’ access to high-quality and lower-cost oncology providers throughout our state.”