Cerula Care – Weekly Recap

Cerula Care is an oncology-focused behavioral health and supportive care company, and this weekly recap highlights how it is using data and partnerships to refine and scale its care model for cancer patients. The company released new insights into breast cancer patient needs based on an analysis by Salura Health of thousands of publicly available online patient conversations, and also showcased progress in its collaboration with Virginia Oncology Associates (VOA), including strong early clinical outcomes and expanded patient reach.

Cerula Care reported that Salura Health’s patient conversation analytics reveal a distinct evolution in needs over the cancer journey. At the time of diagnosis, nearly half of patients (49%) express existential fear, while by six months post-diagnosis, emotional distress is increasingly intertwined with practical challenges: work disruption affects 55% of patients, housing instability 46%, and financial strain 25%. Cerula Care noted that these social and economic stressors are often missed by traditional clinical tools that primarily measure anxiety and depression, underscoring the importance of integrating non-clinical determinants of health into care planning.

These findings are being positioned as a foundation for refining Cerula Care’s service model, allowing the company to better align support programs around employment, housing, and financial stability in addition to clinical mental health needs. This data-informed approach may strengthen its value proposition to payers, providers, and partners who are increasingly focused on holistic outcomes and total cost of care, and could support stronger justification for reimbursement and value-based contracts.

Separately, Cerula Care highlighted ongoing traction in its partnership with Virginia Oncology Associates. Since the collaboration launched in January 2024, more than 850 VOA patients have enrolled in Cerula’s oncology-specific behavioral health program, delivered through a Collaborative Care Model that integrates psychiatric expertise into oncology workflows. The company reported significant clinical improvements, including a 62% reduction in depression symptoms and a 57% reduction in anxiety within four months, demonstrating the effectiveness of its virtual, embedded model.

The partnership was further promoted via a joint podcast featuring Cerula Care’s cofounder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kyle Lavin, a VOA oncologist, and a former patient. The discussion emphasizes behavioral health as a core component of cancer care rather than an optional add-on, reinforcing Cerula Care’s positioning in the growing market for integrated behavioral health solutions in specialty care. By combining real-world clinical outcomes with patient-centered analytics, Cerula Care is strengthening its case for broader adoption across oncology networks and potentially other chronic disease areas, marking a strategically positive and substantively impactful week for the company.