Leaders in Healthcare: Steve Coplon, CEO of The West Clinic on Memphis Medical News

Leaders in Healthcare: Steve Coplon, CEO of The West Clinic

By: HOLLI W. HAYNIE

Memphis Medical News has launched, "Leaders in Healthcare," a series that provides leaders – from hospital CEOs to practice managers to department heads – a forum to express their strategy and vision for evolving with the industry now and into the future.

A forward-thinking vision that began in 1979 when William West, MD, opened a small two-room cancer clinic in downtown Memphis set in motion the trend of community oncology. In the past 30 years The West Clinic has steadily grown into a national leader in cancer treatment and research. Community oncology clinics became the nationwide standard for cancer care, and the evolution of that care has made access to innovative therapies much easier and faster for patients. The West Clinic mission statement pledges to leave "no stone unturned," a pledge that is sustained by being on the cutting edge of science, technology and cancer care delivery. Through that commitment, West expanded their research capabilities with the development of ACORN (Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network) and SOS (Supportive Oncology Services) a network of oncology clinics, research centers and pharmaceutical companies devoted to developing new cancer therapies through clinical research. West is engaged in about 70 clinical trials currently.

CEO of The West Clinic, Steve Coplon, came on board in 2001 with more than 15 years of experience managing Memphis clinics, working with about 50 different specialties. When he was asked to join West, he knew it was the perfect fit, he said, for they shared his vision of positive, progressive leadership in providing healthcare.

"We see a day of opportunity," Coplon stated. "It's not merely about a practice and seeing patients. It's about advancing the causes of treatment and advocacy and our responsibility to impact and advance what we're doing, fighting the war on cancer. It's been an exciting place to work for that very reason."

In 2007, West merged with the Memphis Heart Clinic as one company to fight the two biggest killers – cancer and heart disease.

Said Coplon, "We want to help as much as possible foster change in the community to improve health outcomes on multiple levels.

Q: As a research leader, what are key areas of focus for The West Clinic and what strategies are crucial to eradicating cancer?

A: We're committed to advanced technologies, whether it's diagnostic or therapeutic, or unique with new science like genomics and being able to look inside cells like never before. Many of the cancer treatments that are most widely used today, we were one of the early sites to use them. The ACORN network is now widely regarded as one of the leading community oncology research networks in the country.

Most cancer patients, six out of seven, are treated in community oncology clinics. We say that's the frontline on the war on cancer. That's why survival rates have improved, that's why the number of deaths have declined, that's why access to care and early diagnostics and treatments are improved – because it's happening in the community clinics.

We're completely electronic. That's empowered the physicians to lead the charge for years to institute evidence based treatment protocols that lead to treatment pathways. We have required from our physicians that absolutely, based on the evidence, the treatments we're offering are the best choices. That's probably the reason why we were named last year by Hematology and Oncology News, for large practices, was named the best clinical practice in the United States.

Q: How does The West Clinic ensure the intimacy of a small community clinic with such high volume?

A: Literally, there is a passion and compassion and even a ministry and love of God that flows through us that is very serious. We don't mandate it, you can't, it has to come from the heart. Especially our nurses and those who work closely with the patients, that's just who we are. We've never turned patients away because of their ability to pay. We don't send people to collection agencies. We try everything possible to find a way through for someone who's in a difficult situation.

We have over 100,000 patient encounters a year. We are significantly busy and that busy runs from early to late. What makes my job pleasant and meaningful and good is the team of folks that work here. We have a vision in our business statement that says, "No stone unturned." We believe that passionately, that we have a moral and community imperative to deliver the best care possible. The letters, emails and phone calls you get from patients and families that tell story after story of how this nurse or that doctor or this employee made a huge difference in their lives, that's what it's all about.

Q: Why is it important for The West Clinic to be involved in local, regional and national collaboration?

A: We believe in serving the whole community. We're involved in many other areas of healthcare. Many of our doctors and nurses work in the Church Health Center and we contribute to them. We're involved in a lot of the cancer initiatives. We joined forces with Memphis Heart Clinic because there are a lot of cardiac toxicities and we felt like a strong relationship with a cardiology group would be helpful. Shortly after we did this, we got a call from Vanderbilt and MD Anderson saying that oncology and cardiology need to work closely together. This is something we stumbled upon and it's pioneering change. We are very passionate about serving clinics around the country with our technologies and research network, making it so community oncology as a whole can advance the war on cancer.

(Being involved in the legislative process is important) because public officials have to know about a lot of issues. State representatives have told me they didn't know enough and we needed to tell them. They said, "Come help us," and we took them at their word. If we don't tell them what we need, it won't be done.

Q: What are key initiatives on the agenda for West Clinic in 2009?

A: We are very committed to the circulating tumor cell technology. We are launching a bio-bank which is a bio-repository of blood and tissue. The future of oncology is personalized medicine, where it's much more individual specific rather than sub-group specific. We've opened our Brighton office serving north Shelby and Tipton counties. That's a huge step forward. The Corinth joint venture with the Magnolia Regional Health Center opens in a few weeks.

Q: Where is the future of healthcare heading and what are your thoughts on healthcare reform?

A: I tend to think very differently than most people about healthcare. I'm not sure there's any magic solution to it. I believe there are other issues besides purely a failure of the economic model. Our greatest need in our society is to strengthen the family. I believe if the family is strengthened, then all the essentials of healthcare and education and all these other things will be much more stable. Around the country there are enormous access problems and the larger picture is a real challenge. I just don't know if there is a solution that will work that won't cripple everything else. I don't fault people for trying.

I personally believe we need a spiritual revival in this country – not Republican or Democrat – but a revival of the love of God. We don't need to be the richest country; we just need to be people who care for each other.