(L-R) Dr. C. Wright Pinson, Gwyneth Neuss, Dr. Michael Neuss and Dr. Jennifer Pietenpol at a reception introducing the new chief medical officer for Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. Photo Credit: Anne Rayner.

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Welcomes New CMO

On July 1, medical oncologist Michael Neuss, MD, stepped into the new role of chief medical officer for Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and began a new chapter in a career highlighted by hands-on care and administrative leadership.

Neuss (rhymes with voice) received his medical degree from Duke University and also completed his post-graduate and fellowship training on the Durham, N.C. campus. After a decade at Duke, he moved to Cincinnati where he spent the next 25 years with Oncology/Hematology Care Inc. When he joined the practice in 1986, he was the group’s first medical oncologist … and its second physician. By the time he retired his position as practice vice president at the end of 2010, the group had grown to include 48 oncology specialists and 300 non-physician employees practicing at 15 locations in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana with an approximately $200 million budget.

Growing up in Indianapolis, Neuss is a proud Hoosier … although he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, making him part Wolverine. Perhaps not surprisingly, he is also a Bengals fan after more than two decades in Cincinnati. However, as part of this new adventure, Neuss is game to learn to ‘Titan-up.’

A self-described ‘homebody,’ Neuss was willing … with wife Gwyneth’s support … to pull up roots and move to Nashville when the opportunity arose at Vanderbilt. In addition to the newly created chief medical officer position at VICC, he also accepted a faculty role as a professor in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology.

Although he enjoyed his years in private practice, Neuss observed, “I really do believe the science in oncology is changing very dramatically and rapidly. An opportunity to be in an environment where people not only understood the science … but were making the science … was very exciting.” He added with a laugh, “I’m surrounded by people who are younger and smarter than me, and it’s a lot of fun.”

In addition to the youthful academic environment, Neuss said he was immediately struck by Vanderbilt’s collegial spirit. “There is a real commitment to collaboration here that is not true at all other institutions at this level.” He noted a cooperative mindset is particularly useful in oncology. “Cancer really is a disease where you need a team of people taking care of you.”

Neuss also said cooperation across silos would be essential to success going forward … both as physician scientists pool their knowledge to improve treatment options and as the country struggles to find sustainable financial models for the healthcare industry. To that end, Neuss is actively involved on a national level with addressing innovative payment models and the quality of care within clinical practice.

He chairs the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), which has established a set of benchmarks to guide clinical practices in their efforts to deliver the highest quality of care. In addition, the committee of experts has created tools to help practices achieve success and recently launched a web-based certification program, which Neuss called a ‘Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval’ for clinical practices.  

A past chair and continuing member of ASCO’s Clinical Practice Committee, Neuss also serves as co-chair of the group’s AESOP Task Force — Assessment of the Evolution & Status of Oncology Practices. “We’re trying to understand how oncologists around the country are changing their practice structures in this changing environment,” he said of efforts to better understand how the workflow and reimbursement structure looks for American oncology practices. Also on a national level, Neuss is a member of the American Medical Association’s Committee of Innovators, which specifically addresses payment models for healthcare in light of reform measures.

This combination of business and clinical acumen fulfilled the VICC wish list for the new CMO position, which is charged with developing strategies for clinical growth, ensuring the delivery of the highest quality of patient care, promoting the center’s research mission and adopting financial efficiencies to maintain stability. Neuss was selected after a lengthy national search by the leadership of VICC’s Clinical Enterprise Committee in partnership with a search firm and in consultation with VUMC Department of Medicine Chair Nancy Brown, MD, and renowned oncologist Joe Simone, MD, whose resume includes leadership positions with St. Jude and Sloan-Kettering. Simone, who founded ASCO’s quality initiative, has worked alongside Neuss on that committee.

As CMO, Neuss will report to C. Wright Pinson, MBA, MD, deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs and senior associate dean for Clinical Affairs at VUMC, and to Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, director of VICC.

“Michael will fill an important niche in providing physician leadership across the cancer clinical enterprise, which involves virtually every clinical department and division at the medical center,” Pietenpol said in announcing his hiring. “In collaboration with his physician colleagues, Michael will develop strategies to assure clinical growth, on campus and in community settings.”

Although still feeling his way in the new role and new setting, Neuss has begun to get a sense of how he wants to take a very large organization and make it more manageable to patients. “You can’t have personalized medicine that isn’t personal,” he pointed out. “We need to always remember a person is coming to us at close to the worst moment in their life.”

He continued, “It’s a plan of mine to break things down into smaller teams. I think medical care works better in smaller units so we’re looking at organ-specific units.” He was quick to note, however, that smaller teams would still work cohesively and collaboratively across the larger organization. Neuss added, “I’m really still evaluating things, but I’m pleased the staff is committed to moving forward.”

In addition to his administrative duties, Neuss spends two days a week caring for his patients, most of whom have been diagnosed with lung cancer.

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