By AccessHope
AccessHope, a provider of cancer support services as an employer-sponsored benefit, deploys expert case reviews through a remote model that was recently validated by a peer-review study. How does this news affect benefits leaders? With support shown to help optimize care, their employees can stay on the right course of treatment, return to their work and lives, and save significant costs.
Through AccessHope’s employer-paid benefit, employees, families, and their community-based oncologists can remotely access the company’s multidisciplinary specialists with National Cancer Institute (NCI)–Designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.
The subspecialists provide world-class knowledge and encourage collaboration with these community doctors that they can leverage to deliver optimal care, while their patients stay close to home and with their local support system of family and friends.
This remote model was recently validated by the peer-reviewed medical journal JCO Oncology Practice, in a study showing that AccessHope influenced 93% of cancer cases and saved an average of $19K per patient. The study focused specifically on 110 lung cancer cases received from April 2019 to November 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Clinical impacts that identify and reduce low-value interventions
After AccessHope reviewed each case, its subspecialist provided evidence-based recommendations for the treatment plan and encouraged collaborative peer-to-peer discussion with the local oncologist. Of the 93% of cases:
- 28% included significant changes to the treatment plans, when the subspecialist disagreed with the current management based on available clinical evidence
- 65% included more-modest refinements to treatment plans, including subsequent treatments, supportive care interventions, and other plan details based on available clinical evidence
The recommendations were associated with clinical outcomes such as improving efficacy, reducing toxicity, and enhancing care. AccessHope’s subspecialist agreed completely with the community oncologist’s treatment plan, offering no additional recommendations, in only 7% of cases.
Cost savings that also deliver better outcomes
AccessHope’s recommendations saved an average of $19K per patient. The recommendations saved an average of nearly $150K per case in cases where the subspecialist identified low-value interventions that could be eliminated, such as surveillance with serial PET/CT scans or costly treatments with no anticipated benefit.
Study population
Of the 110 lung cancer cases reviewed, 55% were for men and 45% for women, and their median age was 62.5. 18% were never smokers, 57% were past smokers, 26% were current smokers, and 1% were unclassified, which reflected the medical oncology clinic population.
Case reviews
AccessHope’s benefit of cancer support services is provided through large U.S. employers and health plans. Case reviews can be requested by employees or automatically triggered when an employee receives a complex- or rare-cancer diagnosis with a challenging prognosis.
AccessHope’s recommendations include the latest research findings and any appropriate medications, tests, or clinical trials associated with improved clinical outcomes. By connecting with employees’ community oncologists, its subspecialists provide insights that these doctors may use to develop precise treatment plans for the best outcomes possible.
Learn more about our cancer support services at myaccesshope.org.
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Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of third parties. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Collective Health or its members.
