The radiation oncology market continues to expand: in 2005 over 1.4M new cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S., 60% of these patients received radiation therapy, and approximately 20% of those have a subsequent course of therapy. This sector of the healthcare market represents over $5B of the healthcare economy.
Mr. Lieberman has been involved with the development, operations and management of freestanding and hospital based radiation oncology centers for more than 15 years.
Radiation therapy services are increasingly outpatient, driven by patient preference and convenience.
The opening of radiation therapy services by oncologists and others seriously threatens hospital-based oncology services.
Continuing evolutions in technology are resulting in more positive clinical outcomes, higher patient satisfaction – and significant financial challenges to upgrade existing equipment or replace aging linear accelerators.
The introduction of IMRT radically transformed profitability analysis of this service; with compensation roughly double that of a course of non-IMRT therapy.
Centers equipped with IMRT are frequently slow in maximizing utilization of the technology.
Mr. Jodon provides Gemstar with an extensive background in
Design/Build and Equipment Procurement Projects
Planning for radiation oncology demands specialized knowledge of both technology and anticipated adjustments in Medicare reimbursement.
There is a significant interface between radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging – 90% of all oncology patients will have at least one CT; 54% will have a PET/CT study.