Dr Steve Miller Highlights the Importance of Working Closely With Oncologists

Working closely with oncologists on value assessment frameworks can save money for the healthcare system while guaranteeing great outcomes for patients, Steve Miller, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of Express Scripts, said during a pre-meeting session of AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting 2016.

Transcript (slightly modified)

Is Express Scripts using any of the value assessment frameworks to aid in formulary decision making?

We already are using value-based concepts. We actually work very close with ICER [Institute of Clinical and Economic Review], we've also been working very closely with Peter Bach, MD, and his DrugAbacus at Memorial Sloan Kettering. And so we look at, there are going to be opportunities to actually narrow formularies in oncology in the near future, which we've never had before. But it's going to take a level of sophistication and cooperation with the oncologists that we've never had before.

How are you working with oncologists to educate them about these new frameworks?

I'll be up at ASCO in just a couple of weeks. We actually view that we have got to have relationships. We've proved with hepatitis that if we have really close working relationships with the hepatologists we could get 96% cure rates and save $1 billion. We believe that same opportunity exists in oncology.

By working closer with the oncologists on care pathways, selection of drugs, introductions of biosimilars and generics for oncologic agents, we're going to be able to find areas where we can save money but also guarantee great outcomes for patients. And that really is the aim of the project.