Pioneering the Right Care

The theme for the 6th Icon Conference is “Pioneering the Right Care” and its programme promises to be academically rewarding with both local and international speakers convening in early June this year.

According to Dr Ernst Marais, COO of Icon Oncology, the meeting aims to focus on value-based care as a viable alternative to the fee-for-service model, which is in line with Icon Oncology’s founding goal of increasing access to sustainable cancer care.

“The private healthcare sector is under pressure to reform and adopt alternative billing models to not only ensure sustainability, but also to align to government’s plans for universal healthcare coverage. The debate will be rewarding and will highlight our network developed protocols, innovative contracting with funders and patient-centric solutions, while sharing our plans to address the increasing administrative burden involved in daily oncology practice,” explains Marais.

Pioneers in value-based care

For more than a decade, Icon Oncology has pioneered the adoption of value-based care and today is the leading provider-driven managed care organisation in South Africa. Its provider network includes close to 80% of South Africa’s private practice oncologists who are committed to increase access to quality cancer care across the country.

At the heart of the organisation are evidence-based clinical treatment protocols which are developed by the network, for the network, underpinned by health economic evaluations, with the aim of delivering affordable and sustainable oncology care.

Icon Oncology is partnered with most major medical schemes and manages the largest oncology data warehouse in the region which is utilised to drive value- and outcomes-based care and innovative contracting with funders. It further has a well-established accreditation programme for national chemotherapy and radiation therapy facilities.

As with previous years, the conference programme will offer parallel streams for clinical oncology and radiotherapy; nursing; business and administration; and social workers.

Who should attend?

All oncologists, chemotherapy staff, radiation therapists, medical physicists, radiobiologists, business managers, senior administrative staff and stakeholders from the funding environment should attend.

International academic faculty