Fort Myers, Fla., March 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American Oncology Network, LLC (AON), a high-growth medical oncology provider with a focus on supporting the long-term viability of oncology treatment in community-based settings, recently announced several new senior leadership appointments. Key changes include:
- Positioning the Information Technology function, under the leadership of AON Chief Information Officer Mark Moch, as a direct report to the Chief Executive Officer given the importance of technology and informatics as a growth enabler for the organization.
- Appointing Michael Essik as Vice President, Finance to improve practice performance and financial reporting.
- Naming Melody Chang as Vice President, Pharmacy Operations, representing the importance of pharmacy operations and revenue to the network’s growth plans.
- Appointing Guy Messer as Vice President, Radiation and Radiology Services to enhance and expand diagnostic imaging across the network.
- Naming Katie Goodman as Vice President, Clinical Research to expand clinical research program development across AON strategic sites.
- Naming Caroline Hewitt as Vice President, Marketing to strengthen the AON and partner practice brands.
Moch is responsible for overseeing information technology across AON and has established an outstanding reputation for innovation and results in the realm of informatics, an area that will continue to be a critical part of the effective delivery of care for our patients. Prior to joining AON, he served as Chief Information Officer for Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) and as Vice President of Information Technology at Promise Healthcare, Inc. A native of Poland, Moch holds a Master of Arts degree in literature from the University of Wroclaw in Poland.
Essik will lead AON’s financial reporting and analysis team including the analysis for acquisitions as AON continues to grow at an exponential rate. In his prior role with FCS, he played a vital part in their growth from nine regions to more than 50 over his eight-year tenure. His over 20 years of prior experience includes progressive financial roles with McKesson and Cardinal Health, the Timken Company, and the acquisition and management of charter schools throughout the southeastern U.S. Essik earned his bachelor’s degrees in finance, business and education from Walsh University and his MBA from Ashland University.
Chang will lead AON’s pharmacy operations and is uniquely qualified for this role, having successfully established the
pharmacy operational program in her prior role at FCS, including drafting the pharmacy training manual and instituting the regional trainer program that enabled a standard practice throughout nearly 100 locations. Chang also worked as a lead pediatric oncology pharmacist at Lee Health in Florida and as an oncology pharmacist at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando (now UF Health Cancer Center). Chang received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from China Medical University in Taiwan and earned her MBA degree from Tulane University in New Orleans.
Messer will lead AON’s radiation and radiology services. With more than 25 years’ experience in a variety of roles Messer has a deep understanding of how today’s healthcare is delivered particularly within the diagnostic imaging space. Prior to joining AON he served as Chief Executive Officer of Trident Medical Imaging, a multi-modality diagnostic imaging organization with a primary focus on PET/CT and oncologic imaging. During his tenure at Trident, he also served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Sales. In addition, Messer served on the Technical Assessment Committee for Georgia’s Department of Community Health tasked with developing the state’s Certificate of Need Rules for PET/CT scanners and volunteered his services as Chief Financial Officer for the non-profit Outpatient Imaging Coalition. Messer received his MBA from Georgia State University and his Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management from Southern Illinois University.
Goodman will oversee AON’s current and future clinical research initiatives. Goodman brings over 25 years of healthcare experience including oncology nursing, clinical research, and program development. Most recently she worked at FCS where she developed processes which supported a network of 37 community-based clinical research sites throughout Florida, enrolling over 500 patients annually to phase 1-3 protocols. During her tenure she was responsible for many initiatives including opening two fully dedicated phase 1 clinical trial units and implementing technology solutions used to successfully match patients to clinical trials using clinical and genomic data. Goodman earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Florida State University.
Hewitt will lead marketing and communications strategies for AON and its partner practices to strengthen brand and support the organization’s long-term growth initiatives. With over 15 years of successful marketing management and leadership experience, she is a data-driven and creative marketer, having achieved excellent results driving demand generation and business growth. Since joining AON in July 2019 as Director of Marketing, she has devised and implemented numerous impactful external and internal initiatives and campaigns. She was instrumental in the creation of the organization’s refreshed brand strategy and website, launched in 2020. Prior to joining AON, she managed the strategic direction of the marketing plan for Harmony Healthcare, oversaw the brand, product and content marketing for Spectrum Enterprise, and online marketing for Greenway Health. Hewitt holds a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Studies from the University of London and earned her MBA from Durham University, England.
“This organizational announcement is another step forward in our networks transformational journey,” said AON CEO Brad Prechtl, MBA. “We are moving quickly to position our organization for continued growth and to ensure we can respond to the fast-changing needs of our patients, physicians and employees across the country. Each of these leaders is highly capable and we look forward to leveraging their expertise as we transform our business for the future.”
AON President & Chief Operating Officer Todd Schonherz added: “These appointments support our efforts to create an organization that is focused on vital strategic initiatives, operations, and growth. This is an exciting time for AON. Above all our shared focus remains unchanged as we move forward: providing best-in-class cancer care to patients in their local communities.”
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About American Oncology Network, LLC: (AONcology.com)
American Oncology Network, LLC (AON) is an alliance of physicians and seasoned healthcare leaders partnering to ensure the long-term success of community oncology. Launched in 2018, the rapidly expanding AON network currently represents 92 physicians and 62 nurse practitioners and physician assistants practicing across 16 states. The executive management team of AON encompasses more than three decades of oncology practice management experience, enabling physicians to focus on what matters most – providing the highest quality care for patients.
The organization provides unique and comprehensive protocols for managing administrative procedures and enhancing ancillary services for its affiliates. AON is able to aggregate volume and attain economies of scale, as it guides its member physicians and practices through the transition to value-based reimbursement models that improve the patient experience and help to reduce the per capita cost of cancer care.
AON also provides a unique model of physician led, community-based oncology management. With services such as a centralized specialty pharmacy, diagnostics, pathology, fully integrated electronic medical records, a care management team and a variety of financial assistance programs, an alliance with AON ensures that patients’ experiences will be at the very pinnacle of cancer care today.
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