Government Agency Selects RCCA to Participate in Innovative "Oncology Care Model" Initiative

HACKENSACK, N.J., June 20, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Regional Cancer Care Associates LLC, or RCCA, is one of a select group of oncology organizations nationwide invited by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the agency's Oncology Care Model, or OCM.  The initiative is an innovative new payment and delivery model designed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of oncology care for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

RCCA is one of the largest oncology physician networks in the United States, with more than 30 sites in New Jersey, and the Washington, DC area. Edward J. Licitra, MD, PhD, chairperson of the RCCA board, said, "RCCA was created specifically to provide clinically excellent, compassionate, and cost-effective care in a community setting, and we welcome this opportunity to partner with CMS in taking another step forward in enhancing cancer care."

The goal of the Oncology Care Model is to encourage participating organizations to provide higher-quality, lower-cost care by using an appropriately aligned episode-based payment system that will improve the coordination of care, appropriateness of care, and access to care for patients receiving chemotherapy.

The CMS Innovation Center designed the payment system to enable and incentivize physicians to coordinate care so that patients have access to treatments which best address the individual complexities of each patient's case. Participating physicians will rely on the most current medical evidence, as well as shared decision-making with patients to determine the best course of treatment and provide services that not only pursue the best possible treatment outcome but also improve the patient experience.

To participate in the OCM, oncology providers and insurers must:

• Provide the core functions of patient navigation;
• Document a care plan that contains the 13 components outlined in the Institute of Medicine's report, "Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a New Course for a System in Crisis;"
• Provide 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week patient access to an appropriate clinician who has real-time access to practice's medical records;
• Treat patients with therapies consistent with nationally recognized clinical guidelines;
• Use data to drive continuous quality improvement; and,
• Use an Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) -certified electronic health record and attest to Stage 2 of meaningful use by the end of the third model performance year.

"These program requirements are consistent with our current approach, and represent a standard of comprehensive, responsive care that people contending with cancer deserve," added Terrill Jordan, President of RCCA.

For more information on RCCA's participation in OCM or the services offered by its more than 100 cancer care specialists, visit: http://www.RCCA.com or call (201) 510-0950.

Note: The statements contained in this document are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of CMS. The authors assume responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this document.

ABOUT RCCA
Regional Cancer Care Associates LLC (RCCA), one of the largest oncology physician networks in the United States, is transforming oncology care by ensuring that cancer patients have access to the highest-quality, most-comprehensive, cutting edge treatments in a compassionate and community-based setting. RCCA includes more than 100 cancer care specialists and is supported by 800 employees at 30 sites, providing care to more than 24,500 new patients annually and over 245,000 existing patients.  For more information visit: http://www.RCCA.com.

For further information, contact:
Bryan Soltes
[email protected]
201-510-0993

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SOURCE Regional Cancer Care Associates LLC (RCCA)