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Mr. Paivanas is the President and Founding Director of Thomas A. Paivanas & Associates (TAP&A) and has over 25 years of experience in the health care field.  The firm specializes in assisting clients in realizing particularly difficult oncology and health care opportunities and challenges.  Areas of interest and expertise include oncology program integration across multi-institutional venues, strategic business planning for stem cell transplantation, academic and community hospital partnering, primary market research for pharmaceutical industry, strategic planning for private and faculty physician's practices, practice mediation, strategic business planning for biotech companies, and comprehensive community cancer program development.

As reported in a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, cancer patients who die at home do so more peacefully, and their caregivers end up doing better emotionally, too.

Studies have shown that underutilization of hospice care increases end-of-life costs; more aggressive use of hospice could lead to significant savings and better care. Medicare seems to understand that promoting hospice care is not a "Death Panel."

In today’s heated healthcare debate, nuance matters, so does public perception. The term comparative effectiveness research, once the darling of policy wonks, had perception problems right out of the gate. So, the research stays, but the term goes.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, ObamaCare) purports to control healthcare spending. Is starting a pilot program the answer?

Patients are beating cancer only to fall prey to sexual dysfunction, body pain, and chronic disease. The physical symptoms of their success increase the emotional burden, leading to anxiety, depression, and even suicide, as they are reminded daily of the chance that the cancer they had might return or a new one might occur.

Report finds that the new healthcare law will decrease access to quality care for the elderly.

If Republicans take control of one or both houses of Congress this fall, many will have been elected with a promise to “repeal and replace” ObamaCare. But what are their options, really?

The Department of Health and Human Services recently released rules for creating electronic health records. These rules came days after HHS issued regulations to safeguard the privacy of medical records.

Practical Radiation Oncology, a quarterly journal from ASTRO, is now accepting manuscripts.

ASTRO bestows multiple awards in time for its 2010 meeting. Learn more about the latest appointments and accolades in the cancer community.

Drugs that target the insulin-like growth factor receptor may be backfiring because another receptor steps up to take over

by Robert Lederer, MD | April 15, 2011Might be good to include some comments on the use of Abiraterone which is in phase III clinical trials. Many lay people are hearing about it on the internet and most have been very positive reports. REPLY HERE

As the Health Information Technology Policy Committee (HITPC) prepares the stage two definition of “meaningful use” of EHRs, there is ongoing debate over the perceived long-term benefits versus the immediate expenses-both in terms of money and time. This week we discuss the current status of EHR implementation and incentives.

Stephen Lutz, MD, talks about the evolution of the ASTRO guideline and how it answers vital questions for radiation oncologists.

More than 700,000 biopsies are performed in the U.S. every year, but the technology has not always kept pace with cancer diagnosis and therapy. A new technique allows rapid and easy access to the marrow space.

There are two fundamentally different ways of thinking about complex social systems: the economic approach and the engineering approach.

Published trial results fail to offer information that oncologists need for clinical translation.

As adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) continues to grow, there still exists a gap in the ability of some providers and vendors to ensure successful implementation. This starter-kit of resources can help you take advantage of government incentives and prepare you for EHR adoption.

Is the healthcare debate stressing you out? Check out this raft of political cartoons courtesy of Kaiser Health News.

Earlier this month two senators introduced the “Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility, and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Act of 2010.” Sens. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) hope through this legislation to guarantee that staff who perform medical imaging and radiation therapy are appropriately qualified by establishing standards for these personnel. It makes sense. Who wants unqualified personnel performing procedures involving ionizing radiation?