Fort Myers, Florida, Nov. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS) today reported key quality and savings metrics as measured within the most recent performance period from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) for the Oncology Care Model (OCM), a national innovative payment program for Medicare beneficiaries designed to lower the cost and improve the quality of cancer care. FCS reports Medicare savings of approximately $31.7 million over the last six-month performance period and more than $140 million in total savings since the OCM launched in 2016. FCS cares for more than 22,000 OCM beneficiaries annually.
The most recent OCM reconciliation data released by CMMI reflects FCS’ consistent track record and top ranking amongst more than 126 participating oncology practices across the country, often delivering top marks across specific quality performance measures resulting in a maximum aggregate quality score performance rating.
Participating OCM practices are encouraged to deploy navigation resources, streamline processes and design supportive infrastructure to be centered around the patient, ultimately optimizing care, quality and the patient experience. This shift not only fundamentally alters the drivers of patient satisfaction and resulting quality of life, but it also engenders a cost-effective, value-based platform for care delivery across a growing subset of the population.
When beneficiaries remain close to home where their support systems are in place, with a community-based practice offering a personalized approach to care, access to state-of-the-art clinical trials, and an emphasis on individual patient wishes and values, the end result is cost effective, quality care.
“Our value-based practice initiatives at FCS are programmatic, intentional and thoughtfully designed to be organized squarely around the patient, yielding consistent results that outpace industry benchmarks and made good on our commitment to prioritize patient outcomes and quality,” stated FCS Chief Executive Officer Nathan H. Walcker. “I could not be prouder of our entire team and their steadfast commitment to delivering value-based oncology care in communities across our great state of Florida.”
In this most recent feedback report issued by CMMI, the number of inpatient hospital admissions for FCS was 8% lower than other OCM practices, and the number of emergency room visits not leading to admission was 21% lower than other OCM practices in the same patient risk quartile.
The OCM program is not singularly focused on decreasing costs, but also on measuring quality of care. Each performance period, FCS has reported on approximately 50 quality metrics, earning the highest possible ranking of 100% in the following areas:
- ED visits/inpatent hospital stay
- Pain assessment
- Appropriate utilization of hospice
- Prevention/screenings
- And most importantly, patient-reported experience & satisfaction
At the same time, FCS has demonstrated value-based outcomes and episode-based payment initiatives partnering with commercial payers, Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), and Medicaid-Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in markets across the state.
“Much of our success within the OCM and our VBC programs is a credit to the re-prioritization of a well-built infrastructure that ensures FCS delivers consistent patient-centric care,” adds President & Managing Physician Lucio Gordan, MD.
That infrastructure includes everything from scaling up operational efficiencies, to improving patient education, to providing 24/7/365 access to dedicated FCS care management navigators who support patients with after-hours symptom management and guidance that minimizes emergency room and hospital admissions, to dietician and behavioral health resources, to leveraging biosimilar drug options that increase patient access to critical pharmaceutical treatment options.
FCS’s value-based care program will continue in its evolution to ensure long-term implementation of systems and processes that support quality and cost containment objectives. “Simply put, exceptional, value-based cancer care centered around our patients is the core of our organizational mission and a fixed focus we will never waiver from,” added Walcker.
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About Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC: (FLCancer.com)
Recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) with a national Clinical Trials Participation Award, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) offers patients access to more clinical trials than any private oncology practice in Florida. In the past four years, the majority of new cancer drugs approved for use in the U.S. were studied in clinical trials with Florida Cancer Specialists participation.* Trained in prestigious medical schools and research institutes, our physicians are consistently ranked nationally as Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.
Founded in 1984, Florida Cancer Specialists has built a national reputation for excellence that is reflected in exceptional and compassionate patient care, driven by innovative clinical research, cutting-edge technologies and advanced treatments, including targeted therapies, genomic-based treatment, and immunotherapy. Our highest values are embodied by our outstanding team of highly trained and dedicated physicians, clinicians and staff.
*Prior to approval
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