Nonetheless, more than three-quarters of oncologists indicated that they are making changes to how they and their practices choose treatment regimens under value-based care programs. A sizeable group (38%) says that it may change drug choices and opt for lower-cost therapies, but only when efficacy and toxicity remain the same. An equal percentage of oncologists voiced a desire to develop a deeper understanding of drug value, not just cost, that helps them understand the patient impact of therapies on an individualized level.

New Opportunity for Pharma & Payers: As a Value-Based Care Partner to Oncologists


To ensure oncologists are empowered to match the right treatments with the right patients in the era of value-based care, a new level of cooperation is required among providers, pharma and payers. However, oncologists say they need help when it comes to figuring out how to optimize treatment decisions for the new landscape. When asked how helpful pharma companies have been in understanding the holistic value, and not just the cost, of their therapies:

Almost two-thirds (64%) indicated that pharma has "not been helpful at all"
One-quarter describe pharma as "somewhat helpful", but only providing data when requested
Oncologists have specific ideas about what they need from pharma manufacturers and payers to make more informed decisions about treatments and novel therapies under value-based care:

Over half of oncologists believe receiving better data from pharma about treatment costs (25%), and care quality and outcomes (29%) will help them make more informed decisions about treatments and novel therapies
Regarding payers, 40% stated the existence of a value-based reimbursement schedule is the number one driver that would incentivize oncologists to prescribe a novel therapy
Respondents also expressed interest and obstacles related to accessing and implementing effective care pathways:

Two-thirds of oncologists are not using care pathways because they either lack access to them (44%) or have them but don't follow them (22%)
However, 86% see a role for care pathways in their practice in some form by 2020
Respondents saw the key to active use of care pathways as integrating them into value-based reimbursement models, with half of those surveyed predicting that within two years they are likely to develop or purchase care pathways to use within paid payer initiatives.
Realizing the Vision of Precision Medicine

Regardless of the near-term impact of value-based care, oncologists are nearly unanimous in their belief that the advance of precision medicine will ultimately resolve the growing tension between drug cost and value. When asked "to what extent do you agree that personalized/precision medicine is the key to appropriate use of novel therapies for cancer in the future?" a full 94% of oncologists express agreement – two-thirds of them strongly.

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