New research from Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions has surprising findings about oncologists from meeting MACRA requirements to burnout.
Implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act is shifting physician reimbursement-oncologists included-from a volume- to a value-based model.
New research from Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions found that more oncologists feel confident in their ability to meet the requirements of the Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) than in 2017. The new findings show 77% reported some level of confidence versus 53% in 2017. In addition, compared to 2017, more oncologists report having the resources and staff needed to manage MACRA (24% compared to 10%).
While confidence about meeting MACRA requirements has improved, less than 15% of respondents are confident that MACRA will improve patient outcomes or lower the total cost of care, according to the report. The number of oncologists who say their practice is exploring a merger with another entity as a strategy for meeting MACRA requirements has dropped from 16% in 2017 to 3% today.
In addition, the report provides insights into key issues that are impacting oncology practices including perspectives about the growing incidence of physician burnout and factors that trigger stress for oncologists; and the increasing reliance on nurse practitioners and physician assistants-also known as advanced practice providers (APPs)-to drive efficiency in the practice. The research was fielded in advance of three live summit events, hosted by Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions, in September, October, and November 2018, using written surveys. More than 160 oncologists from a mix of community and hospital-based practices participated in the research.
Related article: The 10 States with the Highest Cancer Rates
Other key findings include:
“As the number of patients seeking cancer treatment continues to grow annually, health systems are increasingly focused on having a robust network of oncologists to meet the growing demand. However, the industry is already experiencing a reduction in the number of new oncologists entering the field, and our research shows that one in five oncologists may consider retiring early due to stress at work,” says Chadi Nabhan, MD, MBA, FACP, vice president, chief medical officer, Cardinal Health Specialty Solutions. “Combined, these factors could lead to a significant shortage in oncology providers. For health system executives, understanding the challenges facing oncologists-and the steps they are taking to mitigate those challenges-may be key to building a sustainable network of oncology providers.”
Based on the report, Nabhan has four recommendations for healthcare execs:
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