A community oncology palliative program: Early results for cost and quality measures within OCM program claims data.

Abstract

11585 Background: Oncology Care Model (OCM) is an initiative of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation which aims to provide higher quality and more coordinated oncology care while lowering the cost. Oncology Division of Michigan Health Professionals (MHP) participates in OCM. Palliative and End of Life care was identified as one of the quality improvement areas. A community oncology Palliative care (PC) program was launched in October 2017. Methods: The multidisciplinary PC team was led by Board certified palliative care and hospice physicians. Patients appropriate for PC referral were identified by participating medical oncologists. Patients were contacted by the PC team. If the patients agreed a Nurse Practitioner (NP) would assess and follow the patients at home. Care was coordinated by the NP’s in communication with the palliative care team and the primary medical oncologists. Last 30-day (limited by the OCM episode or patient death) OCM program claims data was analyzed by IntegraConnect. Results: From October 2017 to October 2018 a total of 273 patients were referred to the PC program. Fifty-eight patients were identified as having OCM episodes, of these 36 patients had claims data through June 30, 2018. Twenty patients accepted and were engaged with PC,16 patients declined or were unable to reach for PC and formed the comparison group. Even when drug and office costs were excluded, PC engaged patients spent 17% less versus the comparison group (93k vs 112k) in last 30-day claims data. PC engaged patients had a lower acute care facility costs which accounted for 50% (46k) of reimbursement, compared with 95% (105k) for the comparison group. Fourteen OCM patients referred to Palliative program died within episode. 80% (8/10) of engaged patients met quality measure for OCM-3, at least 3 days in hospice vs. 0% (0/4) of patients who declined palliative care, before episode-death. Conclusions: Palliative engaged OCM patients experienced more care at their homes at a lower cost. Palliative program improved practice performance in OCM-3 quality measure. MHP Palliative program is reaching patients in OCM episodes but the numbers are still small.