The Stehlin & de Ipolyi Oncology Clinic consists of five board certified physicians four of whom donate their time and expertise to the work of the CHRISTUS Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research.

Physicians include (left to right ) Jaime A. Tschen, M.D., Dermatology, Dermatopathology; Peter D. deIpolyi, M.D., General Surgeon, Surgical Oncology; John S. Stehlin, Jr., M.D., Surgical Oncology; Patrick A. Wallace, M.D., General Surgeon, Surgical Oncology; and Ethan Natelson, M.D., Hematology, Oncology.

Continuity of care is ensured by having one physician in charge of the patient throughout his or her entire course of treatment. Patients are not tied to a single protocol; rather, the treating physician selects the best therapy for the individual patient, consulting with other staff clinicians and health care professionals as required for the patient’s total care. Clinical specialists include three surgeons, one who specializes in laparascopic surgery, a hematologist, and dermapathologist.

Currently our physicians are participating providers in over 30 managed care plans, ranging from PPOs to capitated arrangements. Physicians and staff are educated in managed care procedure and policy. Our Managed Care Coordinator(s) are the first point of contact for managed care plans.

Once the patient is authorized for treatment at the Clinic, managed care organization case managers communicate with our nurses and physicians to discuss treatment plans, authorizations and pre-certification needs. St. Joseph Hospital also has nurse case managers on the oncology unit who work specifically with our physicians, the managed care organizations, and the patients through the discharge planning process. Our goal is to collaborate with the physicians who send us their patients and to return these patients to the community physicians as quickly as is appropriate.

The Clinic staff consists of 5 physicians and 14 full-time employees, 4 of whom are nurses. Meetings are conducted weekly to discuss cases and nurses cross-train to provide seamless continuity of care and coverage. The Managed Care Programs Committee is responsible for initial education and ongoing training of the staff on all new programs and contracts. Communication with nurse case managers, payers, and patients is enhanced by the size of the clinic and the knowledge of the staff.