The Thymes: Navigating the Cancer Care Landscape

Welcome back to the second edition of The Thymes: Navigating the Cancer Care Landscape! If you’re new here, The Thymes is a quarterly newsletter where we explore the latest news, transformation, and developments happening in cancer care. Our goal is to distill the most relevant information for everyone in the cancer care continuum (payers, providers, pharma, patients) and share recent Thyme Care updates with our network. 

This issue explores key developments shaping the cancer care experience, from White House initiatives aimed at improving data standardization to the critical need for standardized oncology care navigation. We'll also share firsthand insights into the time toxicity associated with undergoing cancer treatment, shedding light on the challenges patients face in navigating their care journey. 

So, let’s dive in! And don’t forget to subscribe to follow along with the latest roundup of cancer care news. Thanks for following along! 

“Thyme Care’s Takes” – The Current State of Cancer Care Today 

• [White House Data Efforts to Improve Cancer Care]: The Biden Cancer Moonshot and the White House announced new efforts to standardize data across EHRs and allow health care providers to share health information more seamlessly. This will advance equity in treatment, and improve care and outcomes for people facing cancer across the country, especially in rural and underserved areas. 

• [Standardizing Cancer Care Navigation]: The American Cancer Society (ACS) launched a national oncology care certification program to standardize high-quality, expert patient navigation. Patient navigation is crucial in every step of the cancer journey, but equitable access to these services has been a challenge. The lack of standardization in oncology care navigation leads to variations in quality across practices. Thyme Care is an anchor partner of the program, alongside the Duke Cancer Institute Supportive Care & Survivorship Center, Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center, Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, and The US Oncology Network . See more about the program in the press release here. 

• [The Time Toxicity of Undergoing Cancer Treatment]: A few months ago, Out-Of-Pocket posted a first-hand patient story from Laura Stratte, RN, BSN on the time toxicity associated with cancer. As a cancer survivor and cancer navigator, Laura detailed all the time she spent on "healthcare touchpoints" following her diagnosis - including treatment, billing, coordination, and more. Here are some of the most surprising takeaways:

1️⃣ Laura spent 129.5 hours on healthcare touchpoints and had a touchpoint on almost 40% of total days, or 55% (!) of work days.

2️⃣ She had to take off 13% of her work days during treatment, and had a visit to a healthcare facility at least one day per week for every week during the 5.5 months she tracked during treatment.

3️⃣ Most of her time spent (69%) was for treatment, as expected - but she also spent a ton of time on billing issues and inconsistencies.

For patients undergoing cancer treatment, so much time is dedicated to their care that it can result in loss of productivity and time spent with family and loved ones (not to mention rearranging schedules to accommodate treatment). This article illustrates how easy it is to see how patients can “slip through the cracks” or face barriers to care, such as the inability to get to and from the office. Having access to a navigator shouldn't be a "lucky to have" for patients or for those who work in the industry, it should be a required part of oncology care. As an industry, we must do a better job of supporting cancer patients and those with chronic diseases.

Hot off the Press

• In January 2024, CMS implemented new billing codes to reimburse practices for patient navigation services, including connecting patients with access to social services, coordinating care transitions, and offering wraparound support services beyond the clinic. These new reimbursement codes are a major step forward in recognizing patient navigation as a critical component of healthcare and while we applaud CMS’ efforts, we must consider the financial and administrative impact they will place on providers. Read more in our Fierce Healthcare and Oncology Business Review opinion pieces. 
• Thyme Care’s medical director of oncology, Dr. Samyukta Mullangi , wrote a hard-hitting opinion editorial for STAT First Opinion talking about how recent federal guidance around the Stark regulations is negatively impacting access to care for cancer patients. Check out the article being entered into the congressional record at 2:20:08 here. 
•  Thyme Care was named one of Fierce Healthcare’s “Fierce 15” of 2024; CEO & co-founder Robin Shah was listed as one of Modern Healthcare’s 40 under 40 of 2024; and Forbes recognized Thyme Care as one of the best startup employers in America. 

In Case you Missed It - Thyme Care Officially Launches “Thyme Care Oncology Partners”

Last month, we unveiled “Thyme Care Oncology Partners,” a dedicated platform for oncology practices. More than 400 oncologists across 25 states, including representation from all major managed service organizations, have joined the platform. 

The high costs associated with cancer are rapidly pushing payers and providers toward specialty care partners capable of delivering superior clinical and financial outcomes. We believe that the only way to move the needle from our entrenched fee-for-service healthcare system toward value-based care is by partnering with oncologists to deliver comprehensive cancer care, both in and out of the clinic. 

Reach out to learn more about how Thyme Care’s oncology partnerships can drive enhanced value for your members.

Mark your calendars! 

Spring conference season is in full swing! Here are just a few of the events Thyme Care is gearing up for. Planning on attending one of these events? Reach out to meet with our team.

• 2024 Health Evolution Summit – When: April 3-5; Where: Dana Point, CA
• 2024 Community Oncology Conference – When: April 4-5; Where: Orlando, FL
• NAACOS Spring 2024 Conference – When: April 10-12; Where: Washington, DC
• deutsche bank HealthTech – When: April 11; Where: New York City 
•  Home Healthcare News Capital + Strategy event (Hosted by Aging Media Network) – When: April 11; Where: Washington, DC
• McDermott Value Based Care Symposium - When: May 17; Where: Nashville, TN

Want to learn more about how Thyme Care’s purpose-built approach can support your oncology population? Reach out and one of our team members will be in touch.