Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists Join Texas Oncology and The US Oncology Network

Surgical oncology expertise has been expanded to local communities in North Texas after physicians from Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists (TCRS), a large colorectal cancer (CRC) practice in North Texas, have joined Texas Oncology, increasing The US Oncology Network’s (The Network) reach, according to a press release from The Network.¹

There are now 17 new board-certified physicians from 19 locations across Texas who specialize in the surgical and non-surgical treatment of colon and rectal problems from TCRS who will broaden The Network’s knowledge in CRC. These physicians have performed more robotic laparoscopic and minimally invasive colorectal procedures than any other practices in North Texas, showing themselves to be innovators in advanced care of CRC. They also train and equip the next CRC physicians who will be entering the field.

The TCRS physicians will be joining over 200 other surgical specialists in The Network. This includes specialists in breast surgery, urology, thoracic surgery, CRC surgery, surgical oncology, orthopedic oncology surgery, gynecologic oncology, plastic surgery, and head and neck surgery.

“With the addition of the physicians from TCRS, we have more than doubled the number of surgical specialists focused on colorectal surgery in The Network,” Michael V. Seiden, MD, PhD, president of The US Oncology Network, said in a statement. “These physicians are meeting a critical need in cancer care, as colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States for men and women combined. While the increase in this specialty is dramatic, we are continuing to see accelerated growth in all disciplines as physicians look to The Network to help them cope with the increasingly challenging healthcare environment.”

The addition of TCRS to The Network is one example of many in the past year who have recently joined, including 131 new physicians and 22 advanced practice providers. This significant increase is due to the growing complexity of the healthcare landscape and the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019. The expansion of The Network will help increase access to advanced cancer care for local communities, as well as support provider’s ability to continue to be independent and viable.

“Joining Texas Oncology and uniting with The US Oncology Network provides us tremendous value, giving us access to vast resources and expertise,” Dale Burleson, MD, medical director of Texas Oncology’s new colorectal surgery division, said in a press release. “We are excited to benefit from the many services and technologies The Network offers that will allow us to continue to focus on providing our patients with high-quality care and optimal outcomes.”

During the pandemic, more physicians and care providers have turned to The Network to gain the benefits for their practices that will help them continue treating patients. Joining The Network gives access to experts in community care, innovative technologies, clinical and business consulting services, revenue cycle optimization, and efficient drug management; all of which will support the high-quality care of patients while adapting to meet the challenges currently faced in healthcare right now.

Physicians and clinicians have multiple resources available to them through The Network, including The Value Pathways powered by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), evidence-based treatment guidelines which can be accessed by those who are a part of The Network and NCCN.² There are also over 1900 physicians and clinicians to collaborate with, so expertise and best practices can be shared. The Network will also use its resources to advocate for providers and negotiate with payers, manufacturers, and legislators on behalf of member practices.¹

“The addition of TCRS physicians provides benefits to Texas Oncology, most notably our ability to provide patients accessibility to high-quality, colorectal care right in their own communities and more opportunities to participate in value-based care opportunities, outcomes benchmarking and development of best practices, as well as groundbreaking clinical trials and research,” R. Steven Paulson, MD, practice president of Texas Oncology, said in a statement. “Their expertise will be invaluable as we collaborate across our practice and The Network to advance care for colorectal diseases and disorders.”

_References:

_{The US Oncology Network continues its rapid growth and enhances surgical expertise with addition of physicians from Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists as a part of Texas Oncology. News release. The US Oncology Network. Published April 1, 2021. Accessed April 2, 2021. https://bit.ly/3fCSzgG}

_{Value Pathways powered by NCCN—Oncology Clinical Pathways. McKesson. Accessed April 2, 2021. https://bit.ly/3wkMdII}