QCCA on top, Becomes the first CIN in Oncology

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The board of the Quality Cancer Care Alliance (QCCA) voted unanimously in favor of becoming a clinically integrated network (CIN) on a national level, making it the first of its kind in terms of geographic coverage.

Comprised of 19 independently owned and operated practices located across the continental United States and Hawaii, QCCA was founded three years ago to improve the quality of care by marshaling the most effective therapies, diagnostics, processes and research in the service of its patients.

“It is a necessary evolution for our innovative group to further our collective efforts in reforming the delivery of cancer care in this country,” says Sibel Blau, MD, chairperson of QCCA. “Under the alliance, we have achieved such a high degree of cooperation that this next stage is a natural progression of our work.”

Through the CIN model, the network will further support its practice members through a robust health information exchange, care coordination and management services, and contracting support that will allow for the development of better methods for delivering improved outcomes in all aspects of cancer care delivery.

“Many of our members are already experienced in value-based arrangements, such as the Oncology Care Model, and several have achieved the National Committee of Quality Assurance’s oncology patient-centered medical home model. Working with insurers and self-funded employers to develop cost containment and continuing to work on improving patient outcomes are the primary goals of our network,” said Dr. Blau.

“Our ability to understand our clinical data in-depth has helped to demonstrate that there are significant opportunities for improvement to value-based care delivery that are currently lacking from the methods being evaluated by insurers in select markets with select cancer care groups. It is our intention to work closely with partners across the cost-of-care spectrum to support our network in designing and delivering better care for our patients in multiple markets thanks to our national reach,” said Dinesh Kapur, MD, of Eastern Connecticut Hematology & Oncology, and member of QCCA.

Dr. Blau concludes, “It is an exciting time for those of us committed to preserving independence in cancer care delivery by capitalizing on our ability to move swiftly and deliberately in deploying better solutions for the future.”