Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions Collaborate With Payors to Improve Quality, Costs, Accessibility of Cancer Care

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Nov 10, 2011, 08:30 ET

DUBLIN, Ohio, Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Medical Oncology Association of Southern California (MOASC) and Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions recently signed an agreement to work together to expand use of clinical pathways to improve the quality and costs of cancer care in Southern California.

Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions provides clinical, reimbursement and distribution services to help health care professionals, payors and pharmaceutical and biotech companies deliver quality, cost-effective care to patients with complex diseases. One of its flagship service offerings, P4 Pathways, helps payors and physicians to work together to develop evidence-based clinical protocols, or pathways, to improve the way care is delivered to patients with complex diseases.

MOASC is the largest oncology society in its region, representing more than 400 oncologists, and its mission is to ensure cancer patients continue to have access to quality cancer care from community oncologists. MOASC has created the MOASC Contracting Network as a separate entity to work with Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions to implement and manage this joint pathways program.

As part of the agreement, Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions will work with MOASC to develop a steering committee, comprised of community oncologists who are MOASC members, to identify evidence-based treatment regimens, or clinical pathways, for delivering the best possible patient care for breast, lung, and colon cancers.

Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions will also provide proprietary technology, tools, educational programs and training to help participating practices to implement and monitor use of the treatment pathways, and to track clinical results and cost savings of the program.

The two entities will also collaborate with managed care organizations to align reimbursement rates and incentives to fairly reimburse participating member physicians for improving the quality and cost effectiveness of the care they provide to patients.

"As we work on our members' behalf to ensure oncologists are fairly reimbursed for the quality care they provide to patients, we must also find innovative ways to remove unnecessary costs from the health care system," said Dr. Robert A. Moss, president, MOASC Contracting Network. "By helping our members to develop and implement cancer care pathways, this partnership can help us accomplish both of those goals, while ensuring that oncologists have a clear voice in the future of patient care."

About the Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc.

Since 1990, the mission of MOASC is to "advance and protect the ability of cancer patients to obtain, and the ability of the oncologist to provide optimal cancer care." Membership is more than 400 oncologists in California and surrounding states. MOASC has succeeded in affecting payer policy, thereby assisting the community oncologist to provide appropriate care to their patients. MOASC is viewed by federal and state policy-makers and payers as representative of the California oncology community. Not only through the incorporation of this contracting network (MCN), but also through the incorporation of a group purchasing network (MPN). MOASC assists and educates its membership to ensure access to care to the California cancer patient. www.moasc.org

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $103 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.