New McKesson service to aid oncologists with strategic planning

The business advisory services unit of McKesson has developed a strategic planning program for oncology practices.

McKesson has deployed a team of experts to help community-based oncologists solve financial and operational challenges, supported with consulting, analytics and unspecified technology tools.

The service also will help practices define priorities and identify strategies and tactics to meet goals. The planning process starts with an analysis of a practice’s data so the McKesson team understands the practice’s challenges and opportunities, and the practice gets baseline metrics to guide its discussion and decisions.

Next comes a meeting with physicians and senior staff to assess top priorities and the development of a three-year action plan for each initiative selected by the practice.

The process, according to McKesson, creates a common culture within the practice by unifying clinicians and staff around shared priorities and goals. McKesson personnel moderate discussions to help participants resolve difference and come to a consensus.


Using analytics designed to facilitate strategic planning conversations, practices can start using their own financial, patient and geographic data in new ways to enable leadership to make sound, data-driven decisions about priorities.

“Tremendous change is happening in the healthcare industry, especially in oncology,” says Catherine Swick, vice president of specialty provider strategy at McKesson. “While practices cannot control the future, strategic planning can help them prepare for what may come.