The PQI Podcast

Season 10, Episode 14: Optimizing Access Through OOLD

In this episode of the PQI Podcast, we explore Oncology Optimized Limited Distribution (OOLD) and its growing importance within patient-centered oncology care. Guests Jonas Congelli, RPh, and Ken Komorny, PharmD, BCPS, discuss how distribution models impact oncology practices, care coordination, and the patient experience, while highlighting the critical role of medically integrated pharmacy services in supporting timely therapy initiation, education, adherence, and adverse event management.

Jonas shares the vision behind OOLD and how medically integrated oncology teams help streamline care for patients receiving oral anticancer therapies. Ken provides insight into Moffitt Cancer Center’s experience navigating operational, financial, and policy challenges related to specialty pharmacy access, including advocacy efforts.

The conversation also highlights how oncology practices, manufacturers, and advocacy organizations can work together to preserve coordinated care models that prioritize patient safety, communication, and continuity of care. Throughout the episode, the discussion reinforces the value of multidisciplinary collaboration and innovation in shaping the future of oncology pharmacy practice and improving outcomes for patients nationwide.

Learn more about NCODA and NCODA’s OOLD initiatives here.
View the poster Ken discussed here.

In this episode of the PQI Podcast, we are joined by Chadi Nabhan, MD, MBA, FACP, nationally recognized oncology leader, physician-executive, author, and host of the Healthcare Unfiltered podcast.

Dr. Nabhan discusses his career journey across academic medicine, clinical oncology, healthcare leadership, precision medicine, and artificial intelligence innovation. The conversation explores how AI is beginning to reshape oncology research and cancer care, including opportunities to improve clinical trial operations, optimize protocols, enhance site selection, support real-world evidence generation, and ultimately accelerate patient access to novel therapies.

The episode also highlights the growing importance of data quality, traceability, and diversity within AI-driven healthcare models. Dr. Nabhan shares perspectives on balancing innovation with human oversight, addressing skepticism surrounding AI adoption, and ensuring technology remains focused on improving patient care while supporting physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and the broader oncology care team.

In addition to discussing the future of AI in oncology, Dr. Nabhan reflects on his experiences as an author and storyteller, including his books Toxic Exposure and The Cancer Journey, as well as his upcoming book, AI and Cancer Care: When Machines Meet Modern Medicine. The conversation also explores his growing interest in fiction writing and the creative process behind developing characters and medical storylines.

In this episode of the PQI Podcast, we sit down with Brian I. Rini, MD, FASCO, Ingram Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, and co-host of the popular GU oncology podcast Uromigos, for a conversation on the evolution of genitourinary oncology and GU cancer care.

Dr. Rini shares how mentorship and early exposure to GU oncology helped shape his career path and reflects on the rapid transformation of treatment over the years. The discussion explores his experience in clinical research and drug development, including involvement in therapies that have led to FDA approvals and changed the treatment landscape for patients with renal cell carcinoma.

The episode also highlights the complexity and diversity of GU cancers, the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration across oncology care teams, and the future of innovation in GU cancer research. Dr. Rini additionally discusses the value of education and communication within oncology through his work with Uromigos, helping bring meaningful and practical

Listen to Uromigos: https://www.uromigos.org/

Season 10, Episode 11: Your Best Meeting Ever with Rebecca Hinds, PhD

In this episode, we welcome Rebecca Hinds, PhD, to discuss her new book, Your Best Meeting Ever, and how teams can rethink the role of meetings in today’s evolving workplace.

Drawing on her background in organizational behavior and research at Asana and Glean, Rebecca shares how meetings can be treated as products—designed with intention, structure, and purpose.

The conversation explores practical strategies for busy, multidisciplinary oncology teams, including how to embrace meeting minimalism, create stronger starts, and ensure every participant is an active stakeholder rather than a passive attendee. Rebecca also introduces the concept of calm technology and discusses how AI can support more effective, focused collaboration across healthcare teams.

Learn more about Rebecca and her work at: https://www.rebeccahinds.com/

This episode offers actionable insights to help oncology professionals streamline communication, improve team engagement, and make meetings more meaningful in delivering patient-centered care.

Season 10, Episode 10: Clearing the Fog: A Clinical Look at Chemo Brain with Jorg Dietrich, MD, PhD

Cognitive changes during cancer treatment, often called “chemo brain,” can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life. In this episode, Jorg Dietrich, MD, PhD, Clinical Director of the Cancer & Neurotoxicity Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, shares his expertise on the neurologic effects of cancer therapies.

Dr. Dietrich discusses the biology behind treatment-related cognitive changes, including the impact of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy on the brain’s cellular environment. He provides insight into how these symptoms present in clinical practice and how they can vary across patients.

The conversation also focuses on practical strategies for the multidisciplinary oncology team. From early recognition and patient education to supportive care approaches, this episode highlights how pharmacists, providers, and the broader care team can work together to address cognitive side effects and improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Dietrich brings a unique perspective through his leadership in cancer neuroscience and brain repair research, with over 200 publications advancing the understanding of neurotoxicity and recovery in cancer care.

This episode offers valuable insight for oncology professionals looking to better support patients experiencing cognitive changes throughout their treatment journey.

In this episode of The PQI Podcast, John Burke, MD (Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers), shares his perspective on bringing clinical trials into the community oncology setting—where most patients are treated, but research isn’t always built in.

He walks through why expanding research beyond academic centers matters, especially when it comes to improving access, increasing diversity in trial participation, and ensuring results better reflect real-world care.

Dr. Burke also gets into what it takes to build and sustain a research program in practice, including the time, staffing, and infrastructure required, as well as the day-to-day challenges of patient eligibility, scheduling, and trial logistics. He also touches on common barriers, from time commitment and travel to patient trust.

The conversation offers a grounded look at how practices are working through these challenges, along with the role of multidisciplinary care—physicians, APPs, nurses, pharmacists, and research staff—in supporting and sustaining these programs over time.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly shaping the future of oncology, but for many clinicians, the question remains: how can it be applied in a meaningful and practical way?

In this episode, we are joined by Sanjay Juneja, MD,  Vice President of AI and Medical Informatics at Tempus AI and a practicing hematologist and medical oncologist, to explore the evolving role of AI in oncology care. Known to many as “TheOncDoc,” Dr. Juneja has built a global platform dedicated to translating complex AI and oncology topics into accessible, actionable insights for healthcare professionals.

Together, we discuss how AI is currently being used across oncology practices and where it is already making an impact. Dr. Juneja shares how AI can be thoughtfully integrated into clinical workflows across the multidisciplinary care team without adding burden, along with ways it can enhance patient education and support in an increasingly complex treatment landscape. He also addresses common misconceptions and myths surrounding AI in healthcare, offers perspective on where the field is headed, and provides practical, actionable tips for clinicians looking to get started or build upon their use of AI in everyday practice.

This conversation offers a thoughtful and approachable look at how innovation and patient-centered care can come together to shape the future of oncology.

Season 10, Episode 7: Scaling Hope: The Future of Cell Therapy Access

In this episode of the PQI Podcast, Fabian Gerlinghaus, Co-founder and CEO of Cellares, shares insights into the evolving landscape of cell therapy manufacturing and its impact on patient access.

Fabian discusses his background as an aerospace engineer turned biotech innovator and the inspiration behind founding Cellares, a company focused on transforming how cell therapies are developed and manufactured.

The conversation walks through how CAR T therapies are created, from cell collection to reinfusion, and highlights the operational and logistical challenges that continue to limit scalability and access today. A central theme is the complexity of current manufacturing processes, many of which remain highly manual, contributing to delays, variability, and cost.

Fabian shares how automation and new manufacturing models, including the Cell Shuttle platform, aim to address these barriers by improving consistency, reducing turnaround times, and supporting broader access to these therapies. The discussion also connects these advancements back to the oncology care team, exploring what more efficient manufacturing could mean in practice for pharmacists, nurses, physicians, and ultimately, for patients waiting on therapy.

Looking ahead, the episode offers a forward-thinking perspective on how cell therapy may evolve over the next five years, with a focus on scalability, innovation, and the opportunity to reach more patients in need.

In this episode, we welcome Kirollos Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, a recognized leader in oncology pharmacy practice and research. Dr. Hanna shares insights into the evolving landscape of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and the unique challenges they present in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). 

As ADC use expands, oncology teams are observing new and sometimes underrecognized patterns of nausea and vomiting, particularly with HER2-directed therapies and delayed-phase symptoms that extend beyond the traditional monitoring window. This discussion highlights how these patterns differ from conventional chemotherapy and what that means for clinical practice. 

Dr. Hanna also reviews emerging pharmacokinetic data and clinical trial evidence supporting the use of NK1 receptor antagonist–based antiemetic strategies. The conversation emphasizes practical, actionable approaches for optimizing supportive care, improving patient quality of life, and ensuring proactive symptom management within the medically integrated oncology team. 

Learning Objectives: 

This episode offers 0.5 CE credit hours to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Claim CE credit here.

Guest: Kirollos Hanna, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, Director of Pharmacy, Minnesota Oncology, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Associate Editor, Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology (JADPRO) 

PQI Podcast | Season 10, Episode 5 Subcutaneous Anticancer Biologics: Best Practices for Safe Administration

0.5 hours of CE for Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, and Nurses

Guests:

Tonya Bauer, MSN, RN, OCN

As oncology care continues to evolve, subcutaneous administration of anticancer therapies is becoming an increasingly important strategy to improve patient convenience, reduce chair time, and enhance clinic workflow. However, these therapies often involve high volume injections and unique administration considerations that require careful planning, coordination, and technique.

In this continuing education episode of the PQI Podcast, we explore how oncology teams are implementing subcutaneous anticancer therapies in practice. The discussion highlights the clinical rationale for subcutaneous delivery, operational considerations for oncology clinics, and practical techniques that support safe and effective administration. Pharmacists, nurses, and pharmacy technicians play a key role in ensuring appropriate preparation, administration technique, workflow coordination, and patient education.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the clinical, operational, and patient-centered benefits and challenges of subcutaneous (SubQ) administration for anticancer biologics.

Continuing Education Credit

This activity provides 0.5 hours of CE credit for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and nurses.

Disclosures:

The following relevant financial relationships within the past 24 months have been identified and disclosed for the speakers of this CE presentation: