Evaluating the Impact of Treatment Care Planning on Quality Measures.

PURPOSE: The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation Oncology Care Model (OCM) requires documentation of a 13-point Institute of Medicine care management plan for Medicare patients. In addition, OCM includes evaluation of quality using key performance measures that align with the ASCO Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI). Both efforts are designed to improve patient-centered care and foster patients' engagement in their care plan. METHODS: A multicenter quality improvement project was conducted to develop a strategy to meet the OCM treatment planning (TP) requirement (Plan), pilot clinician education coupled with use of electronic TP in early-stage breast cancer (Do), evaluate the impact of TP on QOPI measures (Study), and develop recommendations for future implementation (Act). RESULTS: Thirty-three clinical providers and 171 women with breast cancer were included. Improved performance on several QOPI measures was observed for the intervention group compared with the historical control group. CONCLUSION: Meeting the OCM TP requirement through incorporating a technology solution provided an opportunity for quality improvement and preparation for full-scale TP within the OCM. TP delivery was associated with improved performance on select ASCO QOPI measures, which is likely to correspond with improved performance on quality measures within OCM.

Healthcare utilization, Medicare spending, and sources of patient distress identified during implementation of a lay navigation program for older patients with breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Despite benefits for patients, sustainability of breast cancer navigation programs is challenging due to the lack of reimbursement for navigators. This analysis describes distress reported by breast cancer patients to navigators and the impact of navigation on healthcare utilization for older adults with breast cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of Medicare administrative claims data and patient-reported distress assessments. The primary outcome was Medicare spending per beneficiary per quarter. Secondary outcomes included (1) the number of hospitalizations or ER visits in each quarter; (2) distress levels; and (3) causes of distress reported by patients to their navigators. A subset analysis was conducted for stage I/II/III versus stage IV patients. RESULTS: 776 navigated and 776 control patients were included in the analysis. The average age at diagnosis was 74 years; 13% of the subjects were African American; 95% of patients had stage I-III. Medicare spending declined faster for the navigated group than the matched comparison group by $528 per quarter per patient (95% CL -$667, -$388). Stage I/II/III navigated patients showed a statistically significant decline in Medicare spending, ER visits, and hospitalizations over time compared to the matched comparison group. No differences were observed for stage IV patients. Eighteen percent of patients reported moderate distress. Informational and physical distress were more common in late stage than in early-stage breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Lay navigation reduced healthcare utilization in older adults with breast cancer, with the greatest impact observed in early-stage breast cancer patients.