History of Compass Oncology

The Hematology Clinic: Established in 1974, The Hematology Clinic built a solid program in downtown Portland, treating leukemia and lymphoma patients. It quickly became the largest oncology group from San Francisco to Seattle and was the first organization in the area to formalize a relationship with the practice management group American Oncology Resources (AOR), known today as US Oncology.

Pacific Northwest Oncology Associates (PNOA): Established in the 1950s and originally named the Medical Oncology and Hematology Clinic, this group served patients on the northwest side of Portland. In 1997, they attracted medical oncologists from Vancouver and a gynecological oncologist to join their group. At that time, they changed their name to PNOA to reflect their growing services and demographics.

Both cancer care groups grew their practices, located from Vancouver to Portland to Mount Hood, and nourished their increasing patient populations and surrounding neighborhoods. Thanks to contracted relationships with AOR, the two groups often overlapped, and they eventually shared a centralized business office.

“We started out as these small doctor offices doing our own things, in our own areas; but it soon became clear to everyone in the world of oncology, how fast-changing oncology was – medically, scientifically and economically,” explained Dr. Marcus Braun, a retired medical oncologist originally from PNOA and then the Vancouver Cancer Center.

In the mid-’90s, the cancer industry saw rapid expansion. Demands from the business side of the practice multiplied, complexity of treatment intensified and a fast-paced period in oncology began.

Breaking ground for an addition to the Rose Quarter Cancer Center in 2000 (left to right): Drs. Regan Look, Keith Hansen, Ralph Weinstein, Gerald Segal, Spencer Shao and William Galen.

“We knew we needed to share our experiences with each other to make ourselves better in the business sense and in the medical sense... we needed collective wisdom,” Dr. Braun said.

The physicians also knew that sharing information would allow for the best delivery of patient care and would create a strong foundation for their practices. At the time, many physicians felt concerned with the business side of their practices and felt pulled to focus solely on patient care. Advocates of a merger believed joining forces would provide a win win situation on both the business and medical fronts.

“We’re not business people first; we’re doctors first,” Dr. Braun said. “The business reasons pushed us to move toward a merger, but the medical reasons made it make sense on an emotional level.”

Feeling positive and looking to the future, the physicians agreed upon a merger. On January 1, 2000, Northwest Cancer Specialists was officially founded. Independent physicians with diverse experiences felt attracted to the potential of NCS and its mission and joined the group to add more specialty expertise.

“Over the years, our growth has been inspiring. We have maintained our mission in the community and added true depth by welcoming radiation, medical and gynecologic oncologists, and even pharmacists and pathologists over time,” Dr. Kathleen Fielder, a medical oncologist originally from the Hematology Clinic who later retired from the NCS Meridian Park office, said. “As a big group, having relationships with other physicians is important because we have certain areas of expertise to share and benefit our patients.”

NCS became one of the few organizations to offer Phase I clinical research trials (the earliest trials of brand new treatments or drugs) in the Portland-Vancouver community. Facilitating such limited availability Phase I trials offered patients a chance to lead the way in cancer therapies. In 2007, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the largest oncology organization worldwide, awarded NCS for its commitment to clinical trials – a commitment that continues today.

“We want to be able to offer our patients tomorrow’s treatment today,” Dr. Braun said. “That’s a special thing we can do because we’re a bigger group. We couldn’t have done it as several smaller groups, and that’s something unexpected that we hadn’t planned on at the time of our coming together.”

“Compass is a fitting name for an oncology practice because it symbolizes guidance, direction, and support—key elements in navigating the complex journey of cancer care. Just as a compass provides orientation and assurance in uncertain terrain, our practice is dedicated to steering patients and their families towards informed decisions, personalized treatment plans, and compassionate care, ensuring they never feel lost in their path to recovery,” said Marketing Director Jonathan Kipp.

In addition to rebranding, that year Compass added a breast surgery specialty to the group, and a few years later, the organization opened a retail pharmacy. Thus, with its expanded services, Compass enlarged its ability to guide patients.

“We opened a retail pharmacy at Compass Oncology to provide integrated care for patients on oral medications, just as we do with IV therapies, embodying our mission to navigate patients care every step of the way,” said Margaret McGuinness, Compass Director of Pharmacy and Research Services.

During the West Cancer Center grand opening, Dr. Tammy De La Melena cut the ribbon.

At the West Cancer Center ribbon cutting, Justin Gress, Practice Administrator of the new facility said, “I am thrilled to announce [this] new chapter for Compass Oncology! This is a significant milestone for us as we continue our commitment to delivering compassionate and collaborative healthcare.”

Just four months after the grand opening, Compass’ West Cancer Center began offering radiation services.

“It was a proud day for the Compass Radiation Team when we delivered our first treatment to a patient on the west side of Portland. We were thrilled to begin using our state-of-the-art TrueBeam, expanding access to our services for an entirely new community,” said Lindsay Liles, Radiation Therapist at West Cancer Center.To meet the growing needs of its growing communities, Compass also introduced a mobile PET/CT imaging system. The traveling equipment rotated between Vancouver and West Cancer Centers, providing patients with quality and convenience.

“Introducing the mobile PET/CT at Compass helped us revolutionize community cancer care delivery by allowing patients to get advanced, high-quality diagnostic imaging close to home,” said Dr. John Schuler, Radiation Oncologist based at the West Cancer Center.

“Being able to get these scans done promptly and in a convenient, familiar setting removes one of the many barriers that patients encounter during their cancer journey. We have also been leaders in our community in adopting novel radio tracers, allowing patients to get the highly targeted, personalized imaging that they need to ensure that they receive the most accurate and effective treatment.”

Drs. William Winter, Ian Schnadig, Edward Chang, Lucy Langer, Tristan Arscott and Jay Andersen celebrate the Mobile PET unit’s ribbon cutting.

“This key expansion of our practice on the east side of our growing market will enable Compass to support our mission of navigating our patients’ care ‘close to home every step of the way,’” Dr. Rushing said.

It was a proud moment, as the first radiation patient treatment took place at the West Cancer Center.

While stretching to serve more patients, Compass leadership saw a need to reset, realign and inspire its growing teams. So, in early 2022, the organization unveiled fresh and carefully chosen mission, vision, and values statements.

“Compass’s mission, vision, and values are what we turn to over and over again in developing strategy and operational initiatives,” said Dr. Ian Schnadig, medical oncologist and hematologist based at the West Cancer Center. “They keep us centered around our foundational principles of premier community-based care, with excellence of service at every patient touch point.”

In March 2024, Compass signed an agreement with Sarah Cannon Research Institute (after USOR and SCRI formed a joint venture). The integration into the SCRI network ensured seamless access to more than 500 trials annually, reinforcing Compass’ commitment to cancer research.

Then, in April 2024, Compass hired Dr. Michele Babicky, a specialized hepatobiliary surgeon. With Dr. Babicky’s knowledge, Compass could offer specialty care to patients with liver, gallbladder, and bile duct cancer.

“We believe Dr. Babicky’s practice, with its dedicated focus on cancer care, is a perfect fit for Compass, delivering specialized, high-quality treatment within our comprehensive environment,” said Liza Bohmer, Compass Executive Director.