Creating Virtual Integration and Improved Oncology Care Quality Through a Co-Management Services Agreement.

Purpose:Implementation of a co-management services agreement (Co-MSA) creates agreed-upon cancer care delivery quality metrics, a forum for discussion of service line oversight, and virtually integrated care without institutional employment of oncologists. The goal of this project was to demonstrate that a Co-MSA improved predefined quality metrics and provided enhanced communications between a health system’s oncology service line and a group of independent oncologists.Methods:Iterative planning discussions were scheduled biweekly over an 18-month period. Contractual, quality, and clinical data with benchmarking were considered in the creation of the Co-MSA. Review of the first year’s implementation occurred through examination of the metric achievements and qualitative themes that arose through committee meetings, clinical implementation processes, and cross-organizational discussions.Results:Metrics designed for the Co-MSA included improved adherence to the breast cancer, colon cancer, and non–small-ce...