Oncology 2016
Navigating the Oncology IT Road Map

1. ONLY HALF OF VARIAN'S MEDICAL ONCOLOGY CUSTOMERS PLAN TO MOVE TO FLATIRON

Varian customers who plan to move to Flatiron are doing so largely due to Varian’s recommendation, though few are enthusiastic about the change. Amid concerns about Flatiron’s ability to scale and deliver strong functionality and good interfaces, other customers are weighing their options. While many would like to move to their enterprise EMR vendor’s solution in the future, some feel the functionality of these systems lags behind, leaving around one-third unsure of where to go. Though Varian announced their decision nearly a year ago, multiple providers interviewed were unaware of Varian’s alliance with Flatiron and how it could impact their oncology systems.

2. CUSTOMERS QUESTION FLATIRON'S ABILITY TO HANDLE GROWING CUSTOMER BASE

Several Altos customers acquired by Flatiron say that the level of service and support they receive dropped considerably postacquisition, and most say their current relationship is poor. Providers state that Flatiron’s support is unresponsive, the future road map is not clearly communicated, and promises of improved functionality and vendor involvement are unfulfilled. Some providers are concerned that Flatiron does not have the resources to support both them and the large number of Varian customers who could potentially be migrating to Flatiron, and they fear support and communication may decline even further.

3. MCKESSON'S FUNCTIONALITY AND INTEGRATION LEAD THE MEDICAL ONCOLOGY MARKET

Providers say McKesson’s acquired solution from US Oncology is highly usable, has a comparatively short learning curve, and provides cutting-edge functionality. Early adopters of the newest release say integration and functionality have improved. Elekta customers report that the functionality meets most needs, though integration is expensive and can be complex; providers also say the support’s response time is an area for improvement. Flatiron users feel the functionality is adequate, but upgrade bugs often render certain functionality unusable and complicate already challenging interfaces.

4. EPIC'S SYSTEM MATURING TO MEET NEEDS; CERNER STILL BEHIND

Customers consider Epic a partner and say the vendor communicates their vision well. Usability and functionality challenges remain, though long-time users are pleased with Epic’s consistent improvement in these areas and feel the system is now mature enough to meet most needs. Cerner users say their system has a steep learning curve and that Cerner is reluctant to interface with third-party systems. Functionality gaps and a complex workflow remain concerns for Cerner users, though recent improvements and integration with other Cerner systems have helped drive adoption; however, several providers say that the system is not yet mature enough for widespread adoption.

5. ELEKTA THE ONLY VENDOR TO OFFER THEIR OWN MEDICAL AND RADIATION ONCOLOGY SYSTEMS

The only vendor to offer their own medical and radiation oncology systems going forward, Elekta is praised for their customizable workflow, simple-to-build interfaces, and deep knowledge of oncology. Support is a challenge for many providers, who say Elekta’s support lacks knowledge and has variable response times. Providers using Varian for radiation oncology feel the functionality is strong and that Varian is committed to ongoing radiation oncology development. Varian customers report integration challenges, particularly with Elekta and Epic around medical oncology.