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The Role of Precision Medicine in Oncology Care

The approach to cancer treatment has been transformed dramatically over the last decade. The use of medications to treat cancer is shifting from a “one size fits all” approach to more personalized therapies. The individual patient’s specific tumor characteristics may now drive the selection of the best treatment option. Identification of these tumor characteristics is often accomplished through genomic testing. Because clinical data regarding genomic testing is being published at an unprecedented pace, both providers and payers may struggle to keep up and need access to a shared, unbiased decision-support technology to ensure patients are receiving optimal treatment options.

How can you accurately approve tests and treatments while at the same time streamlining the prior authorization processes?  Here are four ways:

  1. Follow evidence-based standards – there are many different lab companies who offer genomic testing as well as variations in the testing products offered by many labs. Clinical decision support for genomic testing assures that that each molecular test ordered meets clinical, evidence-supported standards and also ensures the use of cost-efficient testing. When physicians utilize this clinical decision support to order genomic testing, it streamlines and optimizes prior authorization and reimbursement arrangements with health plans
  2. Enable transparency – provide a real-time window into the precision medicine decision-making process. Currently, it is difficult to ensure that all patients who could benefit genomic testing are receiving appropriate testing. When health plans have access to real-time genomic testing results, quality initiatives can be designed to track appropriate care interventions.
  3. Take a patient-centered approach – ensure patients get the most appropriate tests from preferred labs at the right time in their treatment journey. Patients are understandably anxious awaiting test results and a system that streamlines workflow for practices and expedites the delivery of test results ensures appropriate, quality care for patients when time matters most.
  4. Promote collaboration – ensuring scalable, appropriate use of precision medicine for cancer means working collaboratively with oncologists and molecular testing labs. Cancer care is often fragmented and solutions are needed that align all stakeholders while keeping the patient at the center of the solution. Providing clinical decision support for genomic testing as well as corresponding drug selection allows for all parties to work quickly and efficiently in order to maximize coordinated, quality cancer care.

To learn more about Magellan Rx Management’s approach to precision medicine in collaboration with Trapelo Health, click here.