Read our debrief of The Health Management Academy's Spring 2026 Oncology Forum. In our debrief, we shared what these executives discussed with their peers, including what oncology leaders are working on right now.
Below are key takeaways for what is top of mind for oncology leaders and what you need to know going into your next conversation with them:
Therapeutic Innovation Is Outpacing Operational Capacity Cancer treatment is advancing at a pace that's outstripping the workforce, facilities, and data infrastructure most health systems have built. Leaders are making major capital and staffing decisions with little historical precedent to guide them.
The Workforce Challenge Is Shifting from Recruitment to Role Design Simply hiring more oncologists isn't solving the capacity problem — the bigger opportunity is redesigning how clinicians spend their time. APP-first models and e-consults are freeing physicians to focus on complex cancer care while maintaining or improving patient access.
Precision Medicine Stalls on Workflow Friction and Data Trust The science of genomic medicine is ready; the operational infrastructure largely isn't. Complicated ordering processes, hard-to-interpret results, and patient concerns about data privacy are keeping adoption well below its potential.
Decentralization Without Integration Architecture Risks Fragmentation Expanding care closer to patients through hub-and-spoke models and virtual consults can work — but only when cultural and operational alignment comes first. Adding locations without that scaffolding tends to create misalignment rather than access.
The Financial Model for Site-of-Care Shifts Remains Unresolved Health systems are making significant capital investments in ambulatory oncology care without a clear path to margin-positive returns. Until payer models and site-neutral payment policy stabilize, scenario planning may matter more than picking any single strategy.