Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Dr. Theodoros Teknos, President and Scientific Director of the University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and Deputy Director of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Feb 19, 2026
Dr. Theodoros Teknos, an otolaryngologist and cancer center leader, discusses aligning cancer center ambitions with system priorities. He talks about centralizing complex care while decentralizing routine services. He explores integrating machine learning and precision medicine into workflows. He highlights investing in screening, partnerships, and enterprise-level oncology planning.
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Bridge Aspiration And Execution
- Cancer programs speak in aspiration and long time horizons, while health systems speak in execution and short-term metrics.
- Align oncology strategy to system-relevant outcomes like margin, access, and reducing patient leakage to close that gap.
Centralize Complexity, Decentralize Routine Care
- University Hospitals centralized complex surgeries and clinical trials on their main campus while offering standard care closer to patients' homes.
- This preserved main-campus capacity, increased access, and improved payer relationships by lowering overall costs.
Operationalize Precision And AI
- Plan now to integrate precision medicine, systems biology, and AI into workflows rather than treating them as optional add-ons.
- Invest in machine learning for trial accrual and decision support to operationalize discoveries effectively.