Activating oncology market access
Shifts in cancer care are happening at an exponential pace. New advances in diagnostic testing and related therapy advances create new treatment paradigms for patients at a far greater rate than previously imaginable. Technology platforms are becoming increasingly sophisticated, enhancing physician treatment decisions via clinical pathways and EHR platforms. Payers, policy makers, and providers are thrust into a complex new dance. How will you ensure market access for your oncology portfolio?
System-level decisions guide access
The onslaught of change has brought a plethora of treatment choices — and oncology provider groups are deciding which therapies will and won’t prevail. These organizations wield three levers to help control drug utilization.
Treatment Plans: Housed within the electronic health record (EHR), this therapeutic framework details drug choices, dosing schedules and supportive care regimens for specific conditions. Access to a therapy is predicated on it having a viable, visible treatment plan.
Pathways: This hierarchy of treatment plans specifies which regimens will be utilized first line, second line, and so forth, making the decision process simultaneously simpler and much more sophisticated.
Formularies: Providers deploy outpatient drug formularies to centrally manage and approve IV and oral products.
With only ~30% of practices today using pathways for drug management, understanding treatment plans is critical.
Population health decision makers are taking the lead
As physicians increasingly join large medical centers and community groups, the prescribing power shifts from individuals to population-health decision-makers. Most organizations hold monthly meetings to review both exciting clinical developments and the financial impact of various treatment choices. Tools such as EHRs then reflect the committee’s strategic decisions, guiding physician choices. Such systemization helps ensure both consistent, quality patient care and organizational viability.
