Dr Debra Patt Outlines Cancer Care Delivery, Payment Changes

There are a number of models that look at innovating payments and focus on care delivery changes in oncology that are a positive step forward for patients, Debra Patt, MD, MPH, MBA, director of public policy at Texas Oncology, said at the Community Oncology Alliance's 2016 Community Oncology Conference.

Transcript (slightly modified)

What changes would you like to see with the way cancer care is paid for and delivered?

Cancer care is going through a time of great change. I would love to see changes in the care delivery system and how the care delivery system is reimbursed moving forward. I think it's in the best interest of patients to do that. I'm very excited by the Oncology Care Model, as I think there are many quality metrics that are really important that are emphasized in that model. And incorporation of evidence-based platforms of prescribing, like in Texas Oncology, where I work and see patients, we use value pathways in collaboration with the US Oncology Network. So I think facilitating evidence-based behavior and facilitating quality is going to be important in payment models moving forward.

I think the Oncology Care Model isn't the only model though it's a good one—or at least preliminarily it looks like a good one with regards to the systems changes that we need in oncology. We want to be able to be responsible for our patients to make changes in our staffing to make sure we get acute care patients in right away so they're not sent to the hospital system, so we can decrease emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

But the Oncology Care Model is not the only way to do that. There are other pilots that have been positive, looking at total system changes of care delivery. Texas Oncology has had a pilot with Aetna, we have a pilot today with UnitedHealth, there is the Patient-Centered Medical Home model, which COA has been a great part of. ASCO has the PCOP [Patient-Centered Oncology Payment] model.

So there are many other models moving foward that look at innovating payments that really focus around care delivery changes that I think is a positive movement forward and I think in the best interests of patients.