[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GettyImages-1222336605.jpeg"}],"headline":"Why Collaboration Between All of a Cancer Patient\u2019s Physicians Is More Important  than Ever \u2013 and How RCCA Oncologists Are Meeting the Challenge","dateModified":"2022-03-11T23:07:54+00:00","datePublished":"2022-01-03T18:57:00+00:00","description":"Clear and open communication between the oncologists and physicians who treat cancer is vital to their patients' survival. Find out why by visiting Regional Cancer Care Associates online.","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJanuary 3, 2022\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nBhavesh Balar, MD, says that a dramatic increase in cancer treatment options and the prolonged survival those regimens are providing lend new urgency to an old challenge: effective communication between oncologists and their patients\u2019 other physicians.\n\u201cWe have so many more therapies available to us for both solid tumors and blood-based malignancies than we did even 5 years ago,\u201d says Dr. Balar, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices in the Freehold and Holmdel, NJ offices of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of oncology specialists. \u201cThis is a wonderful development that allows us to individualize treatment to optimal effect, and has driven significant gains in survival. At the same time, however, many of these agents have mechanisms of action that may cause drug-drug interactions with medications a patient is taking for another condition, or may affect issues such as blood pressure control or blood glucose levels. As survivorship increases, and more and more people are living 10 years, 20 years, or more after a cancer diagnosis, we need to consider both the immediate and ongoing implications of a therapy. At RCCA, we take these factors into consideration when developing our treatment plans, and, as warranted, consult with our patients\u2019 other physicians about the impact of treatment on the person\u2019s overall health.\u201d\n \nMay Abdo-Matkiwsky, DO, says that this commitment to communicating with colleagues arises from an appreciation of the frustration primary care physicians and other doctors can feel after referring patients to a cancer specialist and then not being kept informed of the person\u2019s treatment plan or status.\n\u201cAt RCCA, we\u2019re available to our colleagues when they have a question or concern about a patient, or when one of their patients needs to be seen promptly by a cancer specialist,\u201d says the board-certified medical oncologist, who practices at RCCA\u2019s Sparta, NJ care center. \u201cIn addition to that initial availability, we pride ourselves on staying in close touch with our patients\u2019 other doctors long after a patient has entered our care, and on communicating not only with the referring physician but also with the patient\u2019s cardiologist, endocrinologist, family physician, or other provider,\u201d she adds.\nDr. Balar explains that RCCA\u2019s community-based approach to cancer care facilitates close collaboration with patients\u2019 other physicians. \u201cIn many cases, we know those physicians well from practicing in the same hospital and from having numerous \u2018shared\u2019 patients over the years. Those doctors have my cell phone number, and can call me or text me on a HIPAA-compliant app whenever they have a question. It\u2019s a much different dynamic than trying to contact an oncologist they\u2019ve never met who practices at an academic medical center in New York or Philadelphia. The whole premise of RCCA is to give patients the \u2018best of both worlds\u2019 by providing access to the latest therapies, sophisticated diagnostics, and clinical trials in a nearby, conveniently reached care center. That focus on ready access also encompasses our colleagues\u2019 ability to reach us without delay,\u201d the physician says. Dr. Balar adds that in many cases, he and a patient\u2019s other physicians are on the same electronic medical records (EMR) platform, enabling easy sharing of notes and updates. In other instances, he calls his colleagues to provide a status report or answer a question.\nDr. Balar adds that RCCA\u2019s commitment to collaboration with other physicians includes seeing referred patients promptly, with newly diagnosed patients often seen the next office day or in some cases even the same day.Even before seeing a new patient, an RCCA oncologist will often consult with the referring physician to identify what blood work and imaging studies should be ordered based on the colleague\u2019s initial findings, Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky says, adding that this step can significantly speed and streamline the care process. Similarly, Dr. Balar says that he routinely talks with referring physicians to obtain an in-depth understanding of the patient\u2019s situation. \u201cI just saw a woman referred to me with metastatic breast cancer. I immediately got on the phone with the breast surgeon who referred her, and was able to discuss her case in detail,\u201d he explains.\n\u201cPatients get the best care when their doctors communicate and work together, and that\u2019s what we do at RCCA,\u201d Dr. Abdo-Matkiwsky says, adding that this philosophy guides the cancer specialists and other clinicians at all of RCCA\u2019s more than two dozen care centers throughout New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and the Washington, DC area.\nDrs. Abdo-Matkiwsky and Balar are among more than 80 cancer specialists practicing with RCCA. Those physicians treat the full range of solid tumors and blood-based cancers, as well as managing benign blood disorders. They see more than 22,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 225,000 established patients. They offer patients the latest in cutting-edge treatments, as well as access to a wide range of clinical trials. RCCA care centers also provide infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions \u2014 including multiple sclerosis, Crohn\u2019s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis\u2014who take intravenously-administered medications.\nTo learn more about RCCA, call 844-928-0089 or visit RCCA.com.\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. All rights reserved.","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"LocalBusiness","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Corporate Office 25 Main Street, Suite 601","postalCode":"07601","addressRegion":"NJ","addressLocality":"Hackensack","addressCountry":"USA","name":"Postal Address","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/#PostalAddress"},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"1024","height":"468","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"contactPoint":[{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Corporate Office Regional Cancer Care Associates 25 Main Street, Suite 601 Hackensack, NJ 07601 info@regionalcancercare.org Phone: (844) 346-7222","name":"Contact Corporate Office","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#CorporateOffice"},{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (201) 510-0922","email":"msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Media Inquiries: Mary Lou Salvemini Regional Cancer Care Associates Phone: (201) 510-0922 Email: msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","name":"Contact Media Inquiries","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#MediaInquiries"}],"areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey"],"additionalType":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer","alternateName":"RCCA","description":"Leaders in Advanced Compassionate Cancer Care. Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why Collaboration Between All of a Cancer Patient\u2019s Physicians Is More Important  than Ever \u2013 and How RCCA Oncologists Are Meeting the Challenge","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/why-collaboration-between-all-of-a-cancer-patients-physicians-is-more-important-than-ever-and-how-rcca-oncologists-are-meeting-the-challenge\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]