THE WOODLANDS, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The US Oncology Network, supported by McKesson Specialty Health, announced today that 12 of its affiliated oncology practices have accepted the invitation to participate in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Oncology Care Model (OCM). The OCM is a new, voluntary payment initiative introduced by CMS’ Innovation Center designed to support the transition to value-based care by advancing better care, smarter spending and healthier people. To help oncology practices successfully participate in the OCM and other value-based payment models, The US Oncology Network has developed a comprehensive program with innovative tools and resources.
“We are extremely proud that 13 affiliated practices were selected by CMS to participate in the exciting new OCM program and 12 have accepted,” said Marcus Neubauer, M.D., medical director of Oncology Services for The US Oncology Network and McKesson Specialty Health. “We have expertise in value-based reimbursement models, and we expect to be well prepared and lead the way forward in a new era of cancer care.”
Through these selected practices in The Network, roughly 800 physicians will participate in the CMS Oncology Care Model and approximately 30,000 patients will be eligible for care based on guidelines outlined in the OCM. In total, approximately 3,200 physicians were chosen to participate in the OCM, which means The Network affiliated physicians represent one-fourth of all participating physicians. When considering practices supported through its Onmark purchasing and Vantage Oncology-affiliated practices, McKesson Specialty Health supports nearly 50 practices that have been selected – an unparalleled commitment to value-based oncology.
The OCM requires the delivery of high-quality, coordinated care for patients while undergoing chemotherapy. The model emphasizes practice transformation in key performance areas and includes various requirements such as delivering patient navigation and a comprehensive care plan with specific components from the Institute of Medicine.
Preparing for Value-Based Reimbursement
Some of the practices selected to participate in the OCM have also been actively engaged in an internal program developed by The US Oncology Network to prepare for the OCM by building and testing processes that will be required for success. This internal program reinforces the commitments made by McKesson Specialty Health and The US Oncology Network to help oncologists deliver high-quality care and navigate through an ever-changing healthcare landscape.
“We are already applying lessons learned from this internal program to enhance our care delivery processes and technology, and believe that it will benefit patients and practices supported more broadly by McKesson Specialty Health,” said David Fryefield, M.D., medical director of Operational Excellence for The US Oncology Network and practice president and radiation oncologist with Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center.
“The move to value-based care will completely change the landscape of cancer care in the future, impacting all aspects of care delivery and reimbursement,” added J. Russell Hoverman, M.D., medical director of managed care for The US Oncology Network and oncologist with Texas Oncology. “It is exciting to be among the first to participate in this important transformation that aims to improve patient outcomes while being judicious with healthcare dollars.”
“Many of these requirements have already been met and implemented by practices across The US Oncology Network,” noted Nicole Hartung, M.D., medical director of Quality for Minnesota Oncology and director of OCM for The US Oncology Network, “so we are ahead of the curve in some instances. However, practices still need to have a way to seamlessly incorporate key processes of the OCM into the normal workflow to minimize additional staff time, expense and workflow disruptions the OCM may cause. That’s where The Network OCM program comes into play,” she explained.
For the past six months, The Network has been working on an Oncology Care Model support program to help practices prepare for implementation of the OCM and other alternative payment models. The support program concentrates on five key areas including: care and support team structure, developing and deploying patient care paths, technology and reporting needs, financial models for incentive alignment and revenue cycle management. Innovative resources and toolkits have been developed to drive the transformation required for practices to survive in the emerging performance-based environment. Ongoing testing and refinement will continue based on real-world experience.
“The OCM marks a major milestone in the shift to value-based cancer care, and we congratulate all of The Network affiliated practices selected to participate in this innovative program,” said Diana Verrilli, VP/GM, Payer & Provider Solutions, McKesson Specialty Health. “As an organization whose affiliated physicians provide care to more than 800,000 cancer patients annually, The US Oncology Network is proud to be at the forefront of this historical event that will have a lasting impact on cancer care for decades to come.”
Practices in The US Oncology Network that have accepted the invitation to participate in the OCM program include:
Arizona
Oncology
Blue
Ridge Cancer Center
Compass
Oncology
Illinois
Cancer Specialists
New
York Oncology Hematology
Optim
Oncology
Rocky
Mountain Cancer Centers
Shenandoah
Oncology
Texas
Oncology
Virginia
Cancer Specialists
Virginia
Oncology Associates
Willamette
Valley Cancer Institute
About The US Oncology Network
The US Oncology Network is one of the nation’s largest networks of integrated, community-based oncology practices dedicated to advancing high-quality, evidence-based cancer care. A physician-led organization, The US Oncology Network unites like-minded physicians and clinicians around a common vision of improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Leveraging healthcare information technology, shared best practices, evidence-based guidelines and quality measurements, physicians within The US Oncology Network are pioneering new ways to achieve this vision. The US Oncology Network is committed to strengthening patient access to integrated care in local communities across the nation, including collaboration with a variety of payers, hospitals and academic institutions. The US Oncology Network is supported by McKesson Specialty Health, a division of McKesson Corporation focused on empowering a vibrant and sustainable community patient care delivery system. For more information, visit www.usoncology.com.
