Patient-centered oncology care: impact on utilization, patient experiences, and quality.

Objectives: To determine whether implementation of patient-centered oncology standards in 5 medical oncology practices improved patient experiences and quality and reduced emergency department (ED) and hospital use.

Study Design: Retrospective, pre-post study design with a concurrent nonrandomized control group.

Methods: We used insurance claims to calculate all-cause hospitalizations and ED visits and primary care and specialist office visits (n = 28,826 eligible patients during baseline and 30,843 during follow-up) and identify patients for a care experiences survey (n = 715 preintervention and 437 postintervention respondents).

Lessons From Early Implementation of a Patient-Centered Care Model in Oncology.

Purpose: Oncology practices may serve as the primary health provider for patients with cancer and the so-called neighbor during periods of transition and survivorship. New standards for patient-centered oncology practice articulate expectations for the primary health provider and neighbor roles. We report the implementation experiences of five oncology practices participating in a pilot of these standards.