US Oncology Holdings Inc.

01/23/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/23/2025 07:14

McKesson’s Practice Insights Selected as a 2025 Qualified Clinical Data Registry by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Designation enables providers to report meaningful, oncology-specific quality measures for participation in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System

IRVING, Texas, Jan. 23, 2025 - For the ninth consecutive year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has named McKesson a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) approved to participate in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). As a CMS-designated QCDR, McKesson can collect and report clinical data on behalf of clinicians utilizing iKnowMed℠ electronic health record and integrated module, Practice Insights℠, a performance analytics tool powered by Ontada®, McKesson's technology and insights business. The designation enables healthcare practices and providers utilizing iKnowMed to efficiently submit data directly for both MIPS and custom QCDR quality measures to CMS, eliminating the need to engage a separate registry vendor, streamlining data submission and minimizing administrative burden.

"McKesson is committed to providing actionable insights to community oncology practices that can empower them to improve patient care, reduce practice burden, and grow access to care in the community setting," said Jason Hammonds, chief operating officer, Oncology & Specialty, McKesson. "As a 2025 QCDR, Practice Insights enables providers to easily gather and report quality measures to CMS while offering ready access to practice data and analytics to help them improve operations and patient care."

Practice Insights supports nine oncology-specific QCDR measures to drive improvements in quality and cost of care. Seven of these measures were developed in collaboration with physicians in The US Oncology Network, a network of community-based providers supported by Mckesson:

  • Resolution or Improvement of a Health-Related Social Need
  • Advance Care Planning in Metastatic Cancer Patients
  • Hepatitis B Serology Testing and Prophylactic Treatment Prior to Receiving Anti-CD20 Targeting Drugs
  • Patient-Reported Pain Improvement
  • Supportive Care Drug Utilization in Last 14 Days of Life
  • Mutation Testing for Stage IV Lung Cancer Completed Prior to the Start of Targeted Therapy
  • Utilization of Prophylactic GCSF for Cancer Patients Receiving Low-Risk Chemotherapy

The other two measures were developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology and have been approved for the third year:

  • Antiemetic Therapy for Low-and Minimal-Emetic-Risk Antineoplastic Agents in the Infusion Center - Avoidance of Overuse
  • Appropriate Antiemetic Therapy for High-and Moderate-Emetic-Risk Antineoplastic Agents in the Infusion Center

Recognizing the value of McKesson's quality measures for improving cancer care, CMS selected two of the measures for inclusion in the 2024 Advancing Cancer Care MIPS Value Pathways (MVP): Mutation Testing for Stage IV Lung Cancer and Utilization of Prophylactic GCSF for Patients Receiving Low-Risk Chemotherapy. Practice Insights is the only QCDR that has had measures selected for inclusion in the Advancing Cancer Care MVP.

Two of the QCDR measures included in Practice Insights are patient-reported outcomes measures, considered particularly impactful for outcomes improvement1. Especially noteworthy and new for 2025 is the first patient-reported outcomes measure available through MIPS assessing outcomes associated with addressing health-related social needs (HRSNs). While other quality measures screen for HRSNs, McKesson's is the first to examine whether issues are resolved after being identified.

"McKesson's measure goes full circle, enabling clinicians to not only identify needs, but also efficiently track and report results," noted Erin Crum, senior director, Quality Strategy and Innovation, McKesson and The US Oncology Network. "We are extremely proud of this advancement that supports a more holistic, patient-centered approach to treatment, and we will continue advocating for quality measures that are truly impactful to patients and oncology care."

About McKesson Corporation
McKesson Corporation is a diversified healthcare services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients everywhere. Our teams partner with biopharma companies, care providers, pharmacies, manufacturers, governments, and others to deliver insights, products, and services to help make quality care more accessible and affordable. Learn more about how McKesson is impacting virtually every aspect of healthcare at McKesson.com and read Our Stories.

About McKesson Oncology and Specialty Solutions
It's an unprecedented time for patients living with cancer as life sciences companies race to create new, cutting-edge therapies. With cancer care becoming more targeted, providers, life sciences companies, and payers face a multitude of challenges and complexity in the development of new treatments and making them accessible to patients in need. At McKesson, our unmatched portfolio of oncology businesses and partners provide research, insights, technologies, and services that are helping to address these hurdles and improve cancer and specialty care.

  • McKesson is fueling discovery by helping patients participate in cutting-edge clinical trials closer to home through its joint venture, Sarah Cannon Research Institute.
  • The US Oncology Network and McKesson Provider Solutions are advancing specialty care and high-quality cancer care in the communities where patients live by supporting the practices of thousands of independent, community-based providers.
  • Ontada ® , a McKesson business dedicated to oncology, generates real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE), and provides clinical education and provider technology to inform and improve cancer care.
  • As one of the largest distributors of oncology and specialty medicines, we are ensuring medicines make their way to those who are counting on them.
  • And through CoverMyMeds, Biologics by McKesson, and GPO services, our work continues to help patients access, afford, and adhere to their medicines.

1 Renard, Rik. "Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): the gold standard for outcome improvement." awellhealth.com, 25 July 2024. https://www.awellhealth.com/blog/patient-reported-outcome-measures-proms-the-gold-standard-for-outcome-improvement#:~:text=PROMs%20allow%20patients%20to%20provide,of%20PROMs%20for%20cancer%20patients.

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