Practice Management

An American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Oncology Practice Trends Survey from 2015 to 2016 revealed that increasing practice or facility expenses, drug pricing, and issues with electronic health records (EHRs) were among the top practice pressures cited by oncologists. Read More ›

Integrating research findings and clinical trial evidence into healthcare policy and clinical practice is not always simple, according to David Chambers, DPhil, MSc, Deputy Director for Implementation Science, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, at the 2017 Quality Care Symposium. Read More ›

Self-pay accounts receivable in healthcare includes true self-pay (ie, patients with no health insurance) and the patient responsibility after insurance. In the past, health insurance plan benefits covered much more of the patient’s bill, up to 90% or more. Read More ›

Since President Donald J. Trump was sworn into office, there has been much concern over the impact that his administration may have on the FDA. In fact, many predicted that President Trump’s victory would be a “game changer” for the FDA. Read More ›

The number one stressor for patients with cancer is no longer the fear of dying from their disease; rather, it is fear of their financial obligations because of treatment, said Dan Sherman, MA, LPC, Founder and President, the NaVectis Group, at the 2017 Quality Care Symposium. Read More ›

Movement on the American Health Care Act may continue, and the evolution of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is not known, said Elizabeth Carpenter, Senior Vice President, Avalere Health, at the 2017 Association of Community Cancer Centers meeting. Read More ›

A change in leadership brings with it healthcare reform and potential changes in drug pricing in the United States, said Jessica Turgon, MBA, Principal, ECG Management Consultants, Washington, DC, at the 2017 Association of Community Cancer Centers meeting. Ms Turgon discussed what this transition of power means for cancer centers, and what oncology providers can realistically expect under the Trump administration. Read More ›

To improve the quality of cancer care, the voices of patients with cancer should be integrated into care delivery and evaluation, said Neeraj K. Arora, PhD, Associate Director, Healthcare Delivery and Disparities Research, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington, DC, at the 2017 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. Read More ›

The term “patient-reported outcome” has become ubiquitous in cancer care. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are still in the early stages of being integrated into quality assessment programs and routine clinical practice, but engaging patients through PROs can be an invaluable tool for assessing and improving the quality of symptom management, said Ethan M. Basch, MD, MSc, FASCO, Director, Cancer Outcomes Research Program, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, at the 2017 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. Read More ›

Establishing a Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality (PFACQ) is one of the most direct routes to true patient-centered care, said Kate Niehaus, MBA, Chair, PFACQ, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York City, at the 2017 ASCO Quality Care Symposium. Ms Niehaus discussed how PFACQs can be used as a mechanism for the patient’s voice. Read More ›