Tennessee Oncology Names Dr Stephen Schleicher CMO, Dr Natalie Dickson CSO

Tennessee Oncology announced that Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, has been appointed chief medical officer (CMO), effective January 1, 2022.

President and CMO Natalie Dickson, MD, will continue to serve as president of the company while taking on the newly created role of chief strategy officer (CSO). Ron Horowitz will remain chief executive officer.

Dr Schleicher joined Tennessee Oncology, one of the largest providers of oncology care in the country, 3 years ago. He has served as medical director of Value-Based Care across both Tennessee Oncology and OneOncology, a national platform for independent community oncology practices that now includes over 700 oncology providers across the United States. He also serves as president of the Tennessee Oncology Practice Society.

Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA

Under his leadership, Tennessee Oncology has saved millions of dollars in the Oncology Care Model (OCM), received perfect quality scores in the OCM and the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s certification program, and formed one of the largest commercial oncology medical home programs in the country through its partnerships with Ascension and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee.

Dr Schleicher is also a member of editorial board of Evidence-Based Oncology™, a publication of The American Journal of Managed Care®.

As newly-appointed CMO, Dr Schleicher will oversee clinical programs to promote the high-quality, innovative and patient-centered care Tennessee Oncology is known for delivering throughout Tennessee and North Georgia.

As president and CSO, Dr Dickson will focus on Tennessee Oncology’s growth and long-term strategy. She also serves as a member of the OneOncology Board of Managers.

Natalie Dickson, MD

“As Tennessee Oncology continues to grow—with over 190 oncology providers across 33 clinics—Dr Dickson’s strategic leadership through this transformational period is crucial to our continued success,” Horowitz said. "Furthermore, Dr Schleicher’s promotion to CMO characterizes our commitment to clinical quality and innovation. Together these 2 physician leaders will continue to shape Tennessee Oncology into one of the largest and most innovative practices in the country.”

Jeff Patton, MD, CEO of OneOncology and board chair Tennessee Oncology echoed this message. “The leadership of Dr Dickson and Dr Schleicher in clinical quality, practice transformation and payment reform will not only position Tennessee Oncology for continued success but will also be immensely valuable for practice partners across the OneOncology platform,” he said.

During her time as CMO, Dr Dickson helped Tennessee Oncology enter Medicare’s OCM, created an internal palliative care program that is now one of the largest of its type in community oncology, grew a dedicated financial counseling team, and launched integrative oncology and genetics counseling programs.

“Our vision was for patients in Tennessee to have access to high quality, comprehensive cancer care wherever they live,” said Dr Dickson. “And Tennessee Oncology has consistently delivered on this vision.”

“I am excited about this next step and look forward to continued mentorship from Dr Dickson, Dr Patton, and Ron Horowitz, who are some of the best oncology leaders in the country,” said Dr Schleicher. “Together along with our amazing physician colleagues, dedicated nursing teams, and clinical and administrative staff who have devoted their careers to cancer care, I have no doubt Tennessee Oncology will continue to grow, innovate, and deliver world-class cancer care throughout Tennessee and the surrounding areas."