Cost savings equate to about $250,000 per medical oncologist over 15 months.
There's a prevailing belief in oncology that physicians have no power to slow the upward trajectory of drug spend. But New Century Health (NCH) and a community oncology practice explain in a recent journal article how it's possible.
By marrying NCH's high-value clinical pathways with regular, data-driven discussions about costs and outcomes, Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois (CCSI) reduced its median drug spend by 13.5% as compared to other practices participating in the Oncology Care Model. The cost savings equate to about $3.5 million, or about $250,000 per medical oncologist, over 15 months. Meanwhile, adherence to clinical pathways increased from a baseline of 69% to 81%.
Experts from NCH and CCSI describe their efforts in the May 2020 issue of JCO Oncology Practice:
Learn more about this study:
- Medscape Oncology: "Clinical Pathways Slow Drug Spending in Community Oncology"
- Journal of Clinical Pathways: "New Century Health Pathways Help Community Practice Reduce Drug Spending Within OCM"
- NCH Resource Hub: "Driving Culture Change in the Pursuit of Value: A Conversation with Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois"
