Evidence-Based OncologyTM, an AJMC® Publication, Explores the Rise of Technology at the Point of Care

CRANBURY, N.J.—Data has become so essential in cancer treatment decisions that policymakers should view technology developers as stakeholders on par with physicians and pharmaceutical leaders when designing new payment models, according to authors from Flatiron Health, whose commentary appears in a new issue of Evidence-Based Oncology^™ (EBO™), a publication of The American Journal of Managed Care^®.

Flatiron Health, the healthcare technology and services company acquired by Roche in April for $1.9 billion, is among those featured in the current issue, which focuses on the point-of-care tools that are driving decisions and transforming the nature of cancer care.

Genomic profiling also stars in the issue, as authors from Foundation Medicine explain the parallel review process that led to approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and a national coverage determination from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for FoundationOne CDx, the company’s groundbreaking broad companion diagnostic.

This issue of EBO^™ addresses challenges faced by those on the frontiers of technology and genetic counseling in convincing public and commercial payers to integrate their services into cancer care. As drug costs exceed $100,000 a year, payers only want to cover treatments that will work. But without coverage for tests, technologies, and services that match patients with treatments, oncologists can’t direct the right therapy to the right patient at the right time.

“The importance of bringing effective point-of-care tools to the practice of oncology cannot be overstated. With the confluence of the increasing complexity of delivering state-of-the-art cancer care to patients and the finite limits of physician time, focus, and human sustainability, the importance of more effective point-of-care resources seems to be self-evident,” writes Joseph Alvarnas, MD, editor-in-chief of EBO^™, a hematologist/oncologist who serves as vice president of Government Affairs and senior medical director for Employer Strategy at City of Hope, Duarte, Calif.

Other contributors in the issue include:

• Matt Lashey, MBA, who narrates the story of the chemoWave app, which he created as he tracked symptoms and responses of his partner, Ric Grenell, who was being treated for stage IIIA non-Hodgkin lymphoma. chemoWave is an award-winning app that lets patients track symptoms, which can be shared with physicians for insights to direct care.
• Genetic counselors Heather Zierhut, PhD, MS, CGC, and Adam Buchanan, MS, MPH, LGC, explain the impact of new CMS rules for telehealth on genetic counseling, while pointing out the barriers that remain.
• Robert Finch, MS, CGC, of Myriad Genetics explains the significance of the decision by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the American Association of Clinical Urologists, and the Large Urology Group Practice Association to endorse biomarkers in prostate cancer care.

About The American Journal of Managed Care®:

The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) is a peer-reviewed, MEDLINE-indexed journal that keeps readers on the forefront of health policy by publishing research relevant to industry decision makers as they work to promote the efficient delivery of high-quality care. AJMC.com is the essential website for managed care professionals, distributing industry updates daily to leading stakeholders. Other titles in the AJMC® family include The American Journal of Accountable Care®, and two evidence-based series, Evidence-Based Oncology™ and Evidence-Based Diabetes Management™. These comprehensive offerings bring together stakeholder views from payers, providers, policymakers and other industry leaders in managed care. To order reprints of articles appearing in AJMC® publications, please contact Jeff Prescott, PharmD at 609-716-7777, ext. 331.

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