Research-Based Insights on Oncology Published by Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions

Oncologists express lack of confidence in MACRA, growing interest in real-world evidence

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Jun 01, 2017, 08:30 ET

DUBLIN, Ohio, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions today introduced 2017 Oncology Insights, the first in a series of research reports to provide perspective on key issues for specialty care providers, biopharma companies and other healthcare stakeholders. The report documents how oncologists view critical issues impacting their practices, including the transition to value-based reimbursement, use of real-world evidence to make treatment decisions and the role of pharmaceutical companies in providing patient support services.

"Oncology care has never been more complex, with a variety of issues creating both challenges and opportunities for those working to advance cancer care," said Joe DePinto, president of Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions. "As a leading provider of solutions to the specialty care industry, it is our hope that this research helps promote informed discussions among healthcare stakeholders that lead to better solutions."

2017 Oncology Insights was released in conjunction with the 2017 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The findings are based on three oncology summits conducted by Specialty Solutions earlier this year. In total, the summits brought together more than 170 oncologists from across the United States, including a diverse mix of community and hospital-based practices, to explore topics critical to their practices.

Key findings include:

Oncologists lack confidence that the new reimbursement models for Medicare patients under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) will improve quality of care and reduce costs. Nearly nine out of 10 participating oncologists are not confident that MACRA will help improve patient outcomes and the total cost of care in the long run.
While data from clinical trials remains the primary information source for making treatment decisions, participating oncologists indicated a strong interest in real-world evidence (RWE) and patient-reported outcomes (PRO). For instance, about three out of four participants agree that RWE is necessary to inform treatment decisions due to the limitations of clinical trials.
Patient support programs should be improved – and pharmaceutical companies should play a key role. The majority of participants, more than 86 percent, said pharmaceutical companies should play a larger role in patient support programs. In addition, only 8 percent said patient education and adherence programs offered by manufacturers are "essential, fairly common, easy to use and effective."

The report also includes viewpoints from three Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions experts:
Chadi Nabhan, MD, chief medical officer; Jennifer Fillman; vice president and general manager; and Jonathan Kish, PhD, health economics and outcomes research director.

Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions plans to issue similar reports using data from future research summits.

Learn more and request a copy of the Oncology Insights report at www.cardinalhealth.com/oncologyinsights.

For media: to request an advance copy of the report, please contact Courtney Tobin at (614) 553-3539 or [email protected].

About Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global, integrated healthcare services and products company, providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically proven medical products and pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. As a distributor, Cardinal Health helps ensure pharmacists, and the consumers they serve, have access to medications they need while working to help prevent prescription drug diversion; therefore, along with its education partners, Cardinal Health created Generation Rx, a national program to help prevent the misuse of prescription medications. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience, with more than 40,000 employees in nearly 60 countries, Cardinal Health ranks among the top 25 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth on Twitter and connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/ company/cardinal-health.

SOURCE Cardinal Health