Why I Joined Thyme Care: Unlocking Value-Based Oncology

Throughout my career, I've been driven by a deep commitment to improving the quality of care for cancer patients. My journey began in a small Texas town, the son of a high school teacher and cafeteria worker. There, I witnessed firsthand the devastation that a serious illness could bring to hardworking families. These early experiences shaped my desire to give back, which led me to pursue a career in medicine. During medical school and residency, I initially believed I would go back to a small town and practice rural medicine. Then came my oncology rotation. The science was extraordinary, the deep connection with patients was fulfilling, and assisting patients with the most difficult journey of their lives gave me a sense of purpose. I was hooked from the first day.

After completing my training, I joined Texas Oncology in Dallas, where I focused on gastrointestinal cancers. My mentor, Russ Hoverman, came into my office one day and asked if I would be interested in helping with oncology quality programs, setting me on a path to address the broader challenges within oncology care. One of my first major projects was leading the implementation of CMMI’s first oncology value-based program, the Oncology Care Model (OCM), at Texas Oncology. I dove in with gusto, and quickly realized we had a lot of work to do. I firmly believe that every clinician wants to deliver the absolute best care for their patients. However, during my time implementing the OCM, I saw significant variations in care team structure, clinic capability, patient needs, and financial incentives across practices. My team and I worked diligently to standardize our approach, yet despite our best efforts, there remained significant gaps in patient support, incentive alignment and standardization.

Determined to make an impact on a larger scale, I transitioned to The US Oncology Network, where I sought to develop novel payment models that aligned financial incentives with patient care. I also encountered numerous obstacles in this setting as well. Health plans and risk-bearing entities were challenged to work with us as they needed a solution for their entire population, not just practice-specific ones. Practices struggled with staffing and incentives, and our technology solutions often fell short. These challenges were not just theoretical—they were painfully real in the lives of our patients. Seeing the impact these challenges had on both patients and providers made me realize – we have to do better.

It was during this time that I began interacting with the team at Thyme Care. I’d seen firsthand how Thyme Care was building a better model for cancer care, aligning incentives with patient outcomes and providing exceptional support to both patients and practices. I was inspired by their unwavering belief that a better path forward was possible. Thyme Care is uniquely positioned to address the key issues that have plagued oncology care for years. We provide a path for payers to financially incentivize better care for all their patients, while we take on the challenge of practice engagement. Our oncology-trained care teams offer the needed support for patients that practices are often unable to provide. Our technology suite is the best I have ever seen, and is getting better every single day. Finally, the unwavering commitment of the Thyme Care team to prioritize patients’ well-being is evident in everything we do.

I joined Thyme Care because I believe in our mission and the team's commitment to transforming oncology care. Together, we can create a world where patients consistently receive early interventions to prevent severe side effects, where financial barriers don't dictate the quality of care, and where patients can see the specialists they need without the burden of excessive co-pays. I'm excited to contribute my experience and passion to help Thyme Care turn this vision into reality.

Connect with Dr. Lalan Wilfong, Thyme Care's new SVP of Value-Based Care here.