Mission Statement:
Summit Cancer Centers mission is to maintain and increase high quality, lower cost cancer services, and to work at peak efficiency through owning, managing and operating comprehensive community cancer care facilities; and to offer patients throughout the Northwest a broad array of integrated, multidisciplinary cancer care services.
Locations:
Spokane, Spokane Valley, Post Falls, Boise
Practice Details:
Our practice has 6 medical oncologists, 2 ARNP’s, 1 physician’s assistant, 2 surgeons, 1 pharmacist, and 60 ancillary staff.
Qualifications/Credentials
N/A
Pharmacy Services Staff
Our Medically Integrated Dispensary boasts one pharmacist, Tasha Heimbigner, and one oral technician, Alicia Barnes. We service all four clinic locations utilizing a courier to transport medications to the patient’s preferred clinic. Our goal is a 24hr turn around and a $0 copay for all new starts. By handling the oral medication from beginning to end (insurance authorization, prior authorizations, funding, counseling, and follow up) we are able to provide an excellent level of care and support of our patients.
Dispensing Type
Medically Integrated Dispensary
Services Provided
Bone marrow, chemo, radiation, surgery, imaging, financial support (grants, foundations, free drug) and medical integrated dispensary.
Why did you join NCODA?
I joined NCODA for the support of others working in a similar setting. There are very few practices in our area, and it is always nice to bounce ideas off someone else, see how others are dealing with similar issues, and simply to ask questions. After discovering the benefits from NCODA membership I had my technician join.
How did you become a member?
Signing up online
How did you hear about us?
I heard about NCODA through another member, Jen O’Doherty. She encouraged me to join. Being in a similar practice setting with no other similar practices around she uses NCODA and its members heavily. She uses NCODA members to ask questions and bounce ideas around. This was exactly what I needed! Being new to oncology I felt that I really needed support from others doing what we do.
How can NCODA help you?
NCODA has greatly helped our practice with the use of Positive Quality Interventions and oral education sheets. These are used daily in our clinics. So much knowledge gained at the NCODA conferences has helped to optimize practice at our centers in the Medically Integrated Dispensary.
How would you like to be more involved with NCODA?
Personally, I would like our clinic to get involved with the treatment support kits. This program sounds as though it would pair nicely with out Medically Integrated Dispensary and current work flow and would be of great benefit to our patients.
What are some challenges you face now or will face in the future?
Reimbursement is always a challenge that we are facing. How to get the most out of what we do. How to go beyond the first fill is another challenge we face. Although we do provide better care than a mail order pharmacy, it is difficult to fight back. DIR fees… always DIR fees.
