Strategies For Clinical Implementation: Precision Oncology At Three Distinct Institutions.
Publication Title
Health affairs (Project Hope)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-1-2018
Keywords
Cost of Health Care; Health Economics; Medicine/Clinical Issues; Organization and Delivery of Care; Precision Medicine
Abstract
Despite rapid advances in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapeutics, the adoption of precision medicine into clinical oncology workflows has been slow. Questions about clinical utility, inconsistent reimbursement for molecular diagnostics, and limited access to targeted therapies are some of the major hurdles that have hampered clinical adoption. Despite these challenges, providers have invested in precision medicine programs in an ongoing search for innovative care models to deliver improved patient outcomes and achieve economic gains. We describe the precision oncology medicine programs implemented by an integrated delivery system, a community care center, and an academic medical center, to demonstrate the approaches and challenges associated with clinical implementation efforts designed to advance this treatment paradigm. Payer policies that include coverage for broad genomic testing panels would support the broader application of precision medicine, deepen research benefits, and bring targeted therapies to more patients with advanced cancer.
Area of Special Interest
Cancer
Specialty/Research Institute
Oncology
