D3 Oncology Solutions Offers No-Risk Trial of Via Oncology Pathways

PITTSBURGH, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- D3 Oncology Solutions today announced that it will provide its Via Oncology Pathways for a six-month free trial period to enable cancer programs to align the timing of their investment with a strategy for sharing potential savings with payors and other key stakeholders.  

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Despite the widespread awareness of oncology pathways by oncologists today, the barriers to their adoption stem from a common set of issues confronting most oncology practices. Without the appropriate tools to evaluate historical physician treatment patterns, most practices are unable to project the impact of a pathways program on the cost of care, both to the payor and patient, as well as to the practice itself. In addition, the contracting vehicles for sharing value creation with health plans, accountable care organizations (ACOs), medical homes and referring physicians are difficult to achieve prior to actually implementing the pathways.  

In response to these issues, D3 Oncology Solutions is offering accelerated implementation of a non-customized version of its Via Oncology Pathways program to oncology practices and health systems for a trial period of six months at no charge. "This will allow cancer programs a risk-free vehicle for evaluating the impact to costs of their current treatment patterns compared to the Pathways and the time needed for contracting such value with key stakeholders," said Kathy Lokay, president of D3 Oncology Solutions.

Via Oncology Pathways are continually updated, evidence-based algorithms for common oncology and malignant hematology patient presentations. The Pathways are imbedded in a patient-specific, point-of-care, decision-support tool. Developed by expert panels of academic and community oncologists from around the country, Pathways have been shown to reduce variability in care while improving the quality of life for patients and lowering costs. These panels meet quarterly to establish and update their consensus around a single-best treatment for each state and stage of disease based on a hierarchy of efficacy, toxicity and cost.

Covering more than 85 percent of new cancer diagnoses, Via Oncology Pathways not only address the most prevalent diseases but also give strong attention to the disease presentations seen less frequently for which the potential for treatment variability increases. Via Oncology Pathways today cover 17 disease groups in medical oncology and 15 disease groups in radiation oncology. Advance care planning support also is built into the software to facilitate the physician's conversations with patients about their disease and care options.

About D3 Oncology Solutions

The mission of D3 Oncology Solutions is to develop and deliver leading edge solutions that accelerate the quality, safety, efficiency and outcomes of cancer patients' care at radiation and medical oncology centers around the world.

With unmatched expertise for more than a decade, D3 has assisted hundreds of cancer centers in the United States and internationally. D3's solutions are guided by close collaboration with leading radiation oncologists, medial oncologists and medical physicists at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers.

From flexible options for linear accelerator commissioning, clinical training and radiation treatment planning to tools and programs that support clinical quality such as Via Oncology Pathways, D3's suite of solutions accelerates excellence in the delivery of cancer care.  

D3 is an affiliate of UPMC, an integrated global health enterprise headquartered in Pittsburgh and one of the leading health systems in the United States. For more information, visit www.d3onc.com or call (412) 365-0710.

SOURCE D3 Oncology Solutions