Onmark Launches Integrated Quality(TM) Program on Taxane Use in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Quality initiatives are at the center of a national effort to standardize and improve the quality of patient care through the development of measurable indicators. According to a study published in the December 20, 2005 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, only two thirds of cancer patients receive therapy according to national guidelines. 

Users of McKesson's industry-leading Lynx Mobile^TM technology can take advantage of the IQ Program which allows physicians to track clinical treatment patterns, benchmark performance to national quality of care standards and compare findings with other physicians nationwide. As a result, practices can demonstrate adherence to quality measures and develop treatment strategies to improve patient care.

"IQ Programs provide meaningful benefits to Onmark members," stated Mike Cunningham, Pharm.D., Vice President and General Manager of GPO and Information Services for McKesson Specialty Care Solutions. "Participating practices can gain visibility into how their treatment patterns adhere to national quality guidelines, which will ultimately help prepare them for pay-for-performance programs."

Through the IQ Program on Taxane Use in Metastatic Breast Cancer, physicians provide patient-level treatment insights on stage 4 metastatic breast cancer patients by responding to brief online surveys. Participating practices earn credit toward Lynx technology expenditures, including Lynx Mobile, Lynx TotalViewTM, Lynx Practice Manager®, and Lynx EMR®, for each completed survey. Collected data are HIPAA compliant, aggregated to the national level and do not contain recognizable patient identifiers.
 
"The IQ Program provides a win-win for our practice and our patients," said Julie Casillas, Practice Administrator for Desert Oncology in Mesa, Arizona.  "This program will help us identify opportunities to enhance the quality of care for our patients as well as gauge how our treatment patterns align with national quality guidelines and other practices nationwide."

At the conclusion of each IQ Program, physicians receive their practice-specific survey results benchmarked against national standards and other participating practices. Onmark also convenes educational forums to present compiled program data to physicians and discuss the impact of quality initiatives on community oncology.

In January 2008, Onmark launched the IQ Program on Febrile Neutropenia Management, which studied the use of white blood cell growth factors in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and breast cancer. More than 200 clinics participated in this Program, completing close to 1,700 surveys. Two additional IQ Programs covering various disease states are planned for early 2009.

About Onmark
Onmark, a McKesson Specialty Care Solutions company, is a leading national group purchasing organization (GPO) for community-based practices with more than 2,400 members representing over 4,100 physicians and in excess of $8 billion in annual drug purchases.  Through strategic relationships with McKesson Corporation, pharmaceutical companies and industry experts, Onmark provides its members with access to a full portfolio of competitive contracts for pharmaceutical products and medical/surgical supplies, the most aggressive pricing available through McKesson, practice management resources, clinical tools and educational programs.  For information about the products, services and programs available to Onmark members, visit www.onmarkservices.com.

About McKesson and McKesson Specialty Care Solutions
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the Fortune 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, marking its 175th anniversary this year. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. A business unit of McKesson Corporation, McKesson Specialty Care Solutions including Onmark delivers the services manufacturers, payors and providers need to ensure specialty pharmaceutical products, coordinated reimbursement and clinical services are available to patients with complex diseases.  For more information, visit www.mckesson.com.