Clinical implementation of value based healthcare: Impact on outcomes for lung cancer patients.

Value based Healthcare (VBHC) focuses on patient centered outcomes, by incorporating Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS). Expectations on the benefits of VBHC are high, but few data are available that validate its routine use. We wanted to investigate if VBHC is feasible and beneficial for lung cancer patients in clinical practice. METHOD: We developed a digital transmural care pathway for lung cancer patients. During systemic therapy, patients digitally reported side effects weekly. Every six weeks, quality of life was reported trough EORTC questionnaires. Case-mix variables, treatment approaches and outcome indicators were systematically collected. We evaluated the compliance of the patients with the digitally reporting system and the impact of the care pathway on patient centered outcomes such as emergency department (ED) visits, time spent on the oncology day clinic, survival and quality of death. RESULTS: 221 lung cancer patients were included in the care pathway. 3091 weekly questionnaires were digitally collected. Compliance with the weekly digital follow-up was 92%: 2835 of 3091 questionnaires were completed. Patients in the care pathway had significantly less ED visits (3.5% vs 4.8%, p 0.04) and a shorter length of stay at the day clinic (2.5 h vs 4.1 h, p < 0,05) compared to routine clinical care. In stage IV lung cancer patients, overall survival was significantly higher in the care pathway (447 days (95% CI 379-663)) compared to routine care (286 days (95% CI 191-400)) (p = 0,025). CONCLUSION: Implementation of value based healthcare is feasible and beneficial in daily clinical care for lung cancer patients.

Does nivolumab for progressed metastatic lung cancer fulfill its promises? An efficacy and safety analysis in 20 general hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: In patients with refractory or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after first line chemotherapy, phase III trials showed superiority of nivolumab, an IgG4 programmed death-1 immune-checkpoint-inhibitor antibody, over docetaxel. We evaluated case mix, effectiveness and safety of nivolumab upon implementation in general practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 20 general hospitals, all consecutive NSCLC patients treated with nivolumab within the medical need program (inclusion period 12 months) in Flanders - Belgium were evaluated. RESULTS: There were 267 patients, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score was 2 in 24% and 0-1 in 76%. In 48%, two or more systemic regimens were given before nivolumab. The median overall survival was 7.8 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.3-9.3). At one year, the overall survival rate was 36.5±0.34%. Median progression-free survival was 3.7 months (95% CI 2.9-4.5). An objective response was obtained in 23.2%. ECOG score 2 and presence of liver metastasis strongly correlated with worse survival (p<0.00001). Treatment related adverse events grade 3 or 4 were reported in 21%, colitis (4%) and pneumonitis (7%) were most frequent. CONCLUSION: Upon implementation of nivolumab therapy in general hospitals, the case mix was characterized by a more heavily pretreated population with a substantial fraction of patients with ECOG score 2. The median overall survival is slightly inferior to what was published in the randomized phase III trials. An ECOG score 2 and the presence of liver metastasis correlated strongly with a worse survival. We report a high prevalence of serious adverse events.