Burt Zweigenhaft
Co-Founder
Association for Value-based Cancer Care (AVBCC)
Changing Cancer Care
Burt Zweigenhaft, PhD, DLitt might be an accomplished specialty-biopharma executive, launching oncology biopharmaceuticals with the biggest names in pharma and founding the national oncology pharmacy care management provider, known as Onco360; but his leadership in changing the paradigm of cancer care has perhaps had the most lasting impact on oncology care today.
During his work in the medical field, Burt had what he refers to as an “aha” moment when he knew it was time to change the focus of cancer care from treatment-focused to patient-focused. Even with treatments, he saw firsthand how cancer was managing the patient rather than the patient managing the cancer.
He figured the best way to encourage change was to strategically get all of the stakeholders in the cancer care ecosystem together in one space at one time. Thus, the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care (AVBCC) was created. AVBCC is a 501c education organization dedicated to the exchange of knowledge among all stakeholders in the cancer care ecosystem responsible to ensure optimal care and access is delivered to all cancer patients.
The goal of AVBCC is to inform, educate, and foster exchange of current and future-state information between every single stakeholder involved in oncology healthcare, from oncologists and hematologists, to oncology nurse navigators and geneticists, to pharmacists, practice administrators, patient advocacy organizations, insurance companies, cancer centers of excellence, pharmaceutical and biotech manufacturers, personalized medicine providers, researchers, and everything in between. Of course, at the center of this communications hub would be cancer patients themselves.
During the pandemic, Burt immediately took action and put together a three-hour webinar with the top experts in the cancer care ecosystem, discussing some of the relevant issues in oncology, including the supply chain, government programs, patient advocacy, hospitals, community practices, and what to expect as the pandemic evolves. This meeting was such a success that it evolved into two series of webcasts from April through October, each focusing on one of the aspects of the cancer care ecosystem, presented by the top leaders in the field. Burt’s series helped patients through the pandemic and will continue guiding them through the cancer patient journey.
