Board member spotlight: Jonas A. de Souza

Jonas A. de Souza, MD, MBA is a medical oncologist at the University of Chicago. He is originally from Brazil and attended the University of Texas Houston for his internal medicine residency. He then pursued a medical oncology fellowship at The University of Chicago, where he currently is an Assistant Professor of Medicine.  He also holds a Master in Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His research is focused on patient-centered outcomes and value-based healthcare, including the financial toxicity due to cancer and its treatments, value-based reimbursement models and personalized value.

1. What made you interested in joining the Board of Directors at PAN?

At the University of Chicago, I do research on patient financial toxicity, healthcare costs and their impact on patients’ quality of life. I was drawn to PAN’s mission of helping patients get access to their treatment and the fact that PAN helps so many patients and their families.

2.  What are you most passionate about when it comes to PAN’s mission?  

I’m passionate about making sure that patients have access to medications they need and I look forward to PAN’s growing involvement in  advocacy and policy. For example, PAN could participate in dialogue around ensuring that patient cost-sharing is reasonable and affordable.

3.  What is most rewarding about your job at the university?

The most rewarding part of my job is being able to help patients when they need their treatments. Patients come to us when they have cancer and they want somebody who is well versed in their disease, but who can also talk to them about the other aspects of their treatment. I think that is the most rewarding part—getting to talk to the patients and help them.

4.  If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?

I would love to have dinner with Pelé, a soccer legend from Brazil.

5.  What is your favorite book?

One of my favorite books to read when I was a teenager, and I read it so many times, is called The Paul Street Boys. It’s a Hungarian book about a group of young boys who are fighting for their space to play.