Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center fellow brings wealth of clinical expertise to oversee oncology practice partnerships and oncology-specific interventions for members
NASHVILLE – August 1, 2023 – Thyme Care, the leading value-based cancer care partner, today announced the appointment of Dr. Samyukta (Sam) Mullangi as medical oncology director. Having recently completed her hematology-oncology fellowship from one of the nation’s leading cancer treatment centers, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Dr. Mullangi brings deep clinical expertise and compassionate patient care experience to her role at Thyme Care. In addition to her role at Thyme Care, she will also be joining the clinical staff at Tennessee Oncology, a national leader in innovative cancer care delivery. As Thyme Care’s medical oncology director, Dr. Mullangi will be focused on nurturing and expanding relationships with oncologists, helping build out and oversee oncology-specific interventions for members, and ensuring that the Thyme Care navigation intervention encapsulates the complexity and heterogeneity inherent to the cancer journey.
One in three Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Overwhelmed by the reality of their diagnosis, it is not uncommon for cancer patients to forget or incorrectly remember information provided by their doctor, which can lead to difficulties complying with their treatment plan. Cancer patients are four times more likely to end up in the emergency room than non-cancer patients as a result. Thyme Care addresses the holistic needs of this patient population through the provision of wraparound care services, including addressing urgent clinical needs, connecting members to social support services, and coordinating care plans between providers. The company’s collaborative care model combines a physician-led Care Team and a robust care management platform to deliver scalable clinical interventions. When a member requires extra clinical support, Thyme Care oncology nurses are able to bring those needs to a complex care pod with an on-call clinician who can triage and address any urgent issues.
“I’ve seen first hand how challenging it is for cancer patients and their loved ones to navigate our healthcare system. Every task, every question – whether it's calling your doctor for help, trying to wrap your head around your diagnosis, figuring out how to pay for treatment, or even following your care plan - becomes complicated and hard. It shouldn’t have to be this way,” said Dr. Mullangi. “I joined Thyme Care to help create care support solutions that are uniquely oriented towards the care of patients with cancer. Value-based care and population health concepts are tricky to begin with, but all the more specific and challenging in the specialty care setting. Both roles - at Thyme Care and Tennessee Oncology - allow me to further the delivery of excellent and comprehensive care for patients with cancer. I am excited and energized to take on this challenge with exceptional colleagues.”
Dr. Mullangi will be responsible for identifying the wraparound oncology-specific interventions that will help keep Thyme Care members out of the hospital, triage members to their oncologist when an urgent need arises, and ensure symptoms are proactively managed and addressed. In addition, Dr. Mullangi will work closely with the executive team to expand the company’s oncology and payer partnerships. In close collaboration with Thyme Care’s aligned oncology partners, including a recently signed partnership with AON, Dr. Mullangi will drive initiatives around quality improvement, benchmarking and change management. Her deep clinical expertise will also be leveraged by Thyme Care’s data team to drive continuous population health analysis.
“Sam is a talented oncologist and an esteemed academic, but her true power lies in her ability to communicate compassionately with everyone in her orbit. Thyme Care members, our Care Team, and our provider partners have confidence that her blend of clinical and business expertise will continue to help us support high value care,” said Dr. Bobby Green, co-founder, president and chief medical officer of Thyme Care. “We’re honored to have her join our team, as we work together to unify the oncology ecosystem on behalf of our members.
Dr. Mullangi brings a robust blend of medical, academic, and business expertise to Thyme Care. She is also joining the clinical staff at Tennessee Oncology, one of the leading value-based provider groups in the country, where she will continue to see patients with cancer. She joins Thyme Care and Tennessee Oncology from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she completed her hematology-oncology fellowship. She previously held teaching positions at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian Hospital, and advisory positions with Aledade, Wellframe, and the Partners Healthcare Center for Connected Health. Dr. Mullangi earned a dual M.D.–M.B.A. from Harvard, a B.S. in biology and creative writing from Emory University, and trained at the University of Michigan in internal medicine. She is widely published across major academic and scientific journals, including STAT News, The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Health Affairs, Harvard Business Review, and Scientific American.
About Thyme Care
Thyme Care is the leading value-based cancer care partner, collaborating with payers and providers to transform the experience and outcomes for individuals living with cancer. The company partners with health plans, employers and risk-bearing providers to assume accountability for enhanced care quality, improved health outcomes, and reduced total cost of care. Thyme Care's approach combines a technology-enabled Care Team and seamless integration with providers, creating a hybrid collaborative care delivery model that guides and supports the entire patient journey. Thyme Care empowers over 300 oncologists nationwide through purpose-built tech, advanced data analytics, and virtual patient engagement, driving better care and outcomes in value-based arrangements. Thyme Care is a founding member of CancerX, and is backed by leading investors. To learn more about how Thyme Care is enabling the shift to value-based care in oncology, visit www.thymecare.com.
Contact
Kimberly Dreisinger
Thyme Care Communications