Healthcare network moves office to county

By BETH KUHLES CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT

Dec. 22, 2008, 11:00AM

The newest national corporate office is moving to Montgomery County in January.

U.S. Oncology, one of the largest health care networks dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment and research, is moving into its new corporate headquarters in The Woodlands at 10101 Woodloch Forest Drive, an new eight-story, 200,000 square building with its own parking garage. It will bring with it 560 employees, including senior managers, information technology, research regulatory and safety, finance and accounting, security, corporate communication, business development, risk management, internal audit and customer service programs.

“The Woodlands is a wonderful place for employees,” said Bruce Broussard, chief executive officer for U.S. Oncology. “It is a wonderful place to encourage creativity and collaboration among our employees. It also offers wonderful amenities.”

U.S. Oncology will join several other corporate headquarters in The Woodlands, including Anadarko Petroleum Corp., CB&I, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., Baker Hughes, Huntsman Petrochemical Corp., Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and Tetra Technology. When it opens its doors, U.S. Oncology will be among the top 10 employers in The Woodlands

“It brings to us the number of employees,” said Gil Staley, chief operating officer for the South Montgomery County The Woodlands Economic Development Partnership. “That in itself makes them in the topic 10 employers for non-retail business. It is also the type of jobs it brings to us, including executives and managers.”

U.S. Oncology is affiliated with 1,227 physicians at 485 locations in 39 states, including 92 radiation oncology facilities. Although its does not provide direct treatment, it assists about 640,000 patients — or about 15 percent of people treated for cancer — to get access to advanced cancer care by working with physicians, manufacturers and payers in all aspects of the system. It also supports one of the largest cancer treatment and research networks to get the best treatment practices to doctors on the front line.

For physicians, the company offers access to a broad range of clinical research, including Phase 1 trials generally not available at the community level. It assists with drug management to ensure that drug doses are taken properly by patients. It also helps doctors with administrative functions, including billing, collections, patient data management and accounting, so they have more time to devote to their services.

For equipment manufacturers and biopharmaceuticals firms, the company assists with the safe and efficient distribution of current therapies, helps to promote new treatments and educates the front line staff on the proper use of equipment and drugs.

For patients, the company helps to promote viable, cost effective treatments through its broad affiliation with providers and suppliers.

The company is relocating its operations from the Greenspoint area of Houston, where is occupied two buildings at Interstate 45 and Greens Road. While many corporations are downsizing, this company continues to growth and currently has about 70 open positions.

“We're always looking to diversify the organization as we build a portfolio to advance cancer care,” said Kathleen Avery, director of recruitment and human resouces services.

Avery said the company only had 100 employees when it began 10 years ago and now has grown to 560. Because the organization is growing and consolidating operations from both Greenpoint and Dallas, it has about 70 job openings across the company, especially in business research, finance and accounting and information technology.