Cone Health, an integrated healthcare network, has conducted research demonstrating how Elsevier's ClinicalPath has supported its oncologists in improving patient outcomes and managing the cost of care. The findings were presented at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) held in Chicago from June 2nd to 6th, 2023.
Cone Health operates a network comprising five hospitals, ambulatory care centers, outpatient surgery centers, physician practices, a retirement community, and urgent care centers. The network's Cone Health Cancer Center, which encompasses six cancer centers and more than thirty cancer specialists, provides comprehensive cancer care.
ClinicalPath, an evidence-based oncology decision support tool developed by Elsevier, integrates treatment guidance within the clinical workflow. Cone Health Cancer Center adopted ClinicalPath in 2016 to empower its clinicians with consistent and well-informed decision-making tools for delivering high-quality care.
The study analyzed outcomes and costs for patients treated between 2017 and 2022. It compared 1,819 cases where ClinicalPath treatment recommendations were followed to 4,095 cases where the recommendations were either not used or not fully implemented. To ensure comparable case matches, the researchers identified 509 cases that met the criteria of matching the year of diagnosis, cancer site, clinical stage, the treatment goal, and other co-morbidities.
The research team documented patient survival rates and the variable direct costs of care for each patient in the study. Their findings were presented in a poster session at ASCO. The results showed that patients classified as "on-pathway" in ClinicalPath were half as likely to die within three, six, or twelve months compared to cases where ClinicalPath was not consulted or only partially utilized. While the direct variable cost of care increased when clinicians followed ClinicalPath recommendations due to additional drugs and treatments prompted by the pathway, the use of evidence-based guidelines in ClinicalPath was associated with a positive impact on reimbursement. On average, the contribution margin increased by 74% when oncologists used ClinicalPath.
The research was presented at the ASCO 2023 Conference, and the full study can be downloaded from the ASCO website.
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