Oncology

We only have to take a brief look back to see that 10 years ago, most specialty drugs were injectable agents used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and growth disorders. Today, the list of agents that is considered specialty includes many oral drugs and even some inhaled agents. In just more than 2 decades, the specialty drug market place has grown substantially.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy reduces hospitalizations and improves chemotherapy administration in elderly breast cancer patients, but increases overall Medicare costs during first year of therapy.

Bruce Feinberg, DO, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions, says that there is a tremendous amount of waste in the system.

Darius Lakdawalla, PhD, Director of Research, Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California, thinks that payers follow the lead of providers in oncology management.

The idea behind an integrated delivery network (IDN)-a concept that was developed in the 1980s and widely implemented in the 1990s-is that a network of facilities and providers can work together to offer a continuum of care in a particular geographic area. Although the concept was one that initially drew praise, the implementation of this type of system did not gain momentum from the onset. However, as time has elapsed, advancements have made this model worth revisiting.

"Oncology is a very emotional area," says Jan Berger, MD, MJ, President & CEO, Health Intelligence Partners, Editor-in-Chief, The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits.

In this video, Robert Bo Gamble, Director, Strategic Practice Initiatives, Community Oncology Alliance, Washington, DC, says that it is critical for payers and providers to come together in oncology management.