Oncology

In this pilot study, primary care providers refer patients to a telephone counselor who provides education about colorectal cancer screening and performs motivational interviewing as needed to promote screening.

Panelists all agree that there needs to be evidence and guidelines for both payers and providers. There are not enough resources to try every drug on every patient. Although it will be costly, there needs to be evidence on putting these drugs together as combinations.

Dr Crawford said that in order to pick the appropriate treatment for a diagnosed patient with prostate cancer, it is important to think outside of the box. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Urological Association (AUA) offer castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) guidelines that serve as the best guideline for payers.

It is an exciting time for prostate cancer due to the growth in new treatments. Dr George said that it is, in fact, both exciting and daunting to have all of these new agents being developed. Currently, there is a shortage in data for practitioners in using the new agents in sequence or combination.

In this segment of the panel discussion, Dr Fendrick asks the panelists if there is now a sense of optimism in reducing the mortality and quality gaps in prostate cancer treatment due to targeted screening and new molecular diagnostics, and immunotherapies.

The ability to treat cancer in a growingly aging population is reaching a near crisis level in the healthcare community.

Dr George notes that in an ideal world a multidisciplinary clinic would not be necessary. Multidisciplinary clinics deliver the tools to practitioner to make the best decisions for their patients.

In this segment, panelists examine prostate cancer treatment as a model for team-based approach. Panelists agree that there is a need for a multidisciplinary approach to care. There

Cancer treatment has grown so complex, many U.S. doctors can't keep up with new information and are offering incorrect treatment, failing to explain options and leaving patients to coordinate their own care.

Coping with advanced cancer, Bev Veals was in the hospital for chemo this summer when she got a call that her health plan was shutting down. Then, the substitute insurance she was offered wanted her to pay up to $3,125, on top of premiums.

Healthcare reform will bring new payment models and new power for consumers, and cancer care delivery will not be immune. With that in mind, The American Journal of Managed Care will bring together experts from the front lines to Baltimore, Maryland, November 14-15 for a conference to share how the goals of better care, savings and fair compensation can be achieved, even in the world of oncology.

A new study from The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits finds that physicians who treat cancer patients may be influenced by the reimbursement policies of the Medicare claim processors that pay them.

Adhering to the best practices in cancer care may be the answer many oncologists have been looking for, at least according to one hospital's findings.

Bruce Feinberg, DO, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions, says cancer treatment is more than clinical guidelines, protocols, or individual drugs.

The federal sequester trims Medicare payments for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in doctors' offices in an effort to save the government money. Instead, it will end up costing more in the long run, according to the president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Although researchers have made powerful new targeted treatment options available to oncologists who treat breast cancer patients, options such as pertuzumab are associated with high costs which raises questions about access as payers assess the value of treatment.