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

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.