As the leading oncology-specific Patient Relationship Management platform, we talk to cancer care providers on a regular basis to determine how we can best help them meet their goals. We are working to improve our existing tools and also look to the future and anticipate what will be needed next, but that’s not always clear. We know from talking to customers as well as industry experts, that the path to value can be a bit murky. Many “solutions” are untested and many value-based programs are still in flux as they mature and adapt. However, one thing has become clear – drug prices are largely out of control of providers, so the greatest opportunity for reducing the cost of care is going to be found elsewhere and care coordination along with proactive symptom management are emerging as promising ways to achieve cost savings and deliver better patient care.
A recent survey conducted by the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) to identify trends in cancer care asked respondents what the top opportunities were for return on investment. Included in the top four investments to yield ROI were care coordination and symptom management. Similarly, they were both listed among the top five opportunities for cost savings and urgent symptom management clinics and symptom management phone triage center were among the most popular support services being added in the next two years.
The Advisory Board is reporting similar methods to keep patients out of the ED and a study just published in the Journal of Oncology Practice also points to symptom management as a way to reduce costs.
Do you have a strategy for symptom management for your cancer patients? Contact us today – we can help.