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Seventh Onmark Integrated QualitySM Program Focuses on Metastatic Prostate CancerJanuary 27, 2010 |
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Program to Inform Physicians on First-Line Chemotherapy Recommendations South San Francisco, Calif. –January 27, 2010 – Onmark, a leading national group purchasing organization (GPO) for community-based practices and a McKesson Specialty Care Solutions company, has launched a new Integrated Quality (IQ) Program on metastatic prostate cancer. This program gathers information on the physician decision-making process for treatment of androgen-independent metastatic prostate cancer patients, educates physicians about patient treatment options, and provides first line chemotherapy recommendations from national guidelines. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States” and is the “leading cause of cancer deaths among men of all races.”[1] In 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, almost 186,000 men developed prostate cancer and nearly 29,000 died of the disease.[2] “Studies have demonstrated that the combination chemotherapy regimen docetaxel-prednisone has led to superior survival advantage and improved rates of response as compared to other chemotherapy regimens when used in androgen-independent metastatic prostate cancer patients who are resistant to further hormone manipulation. Despite guideline recommendations that support this combination as the preferred first line regimen, many patients do not receive the appropriate therapy,” states Kim Bergstrom, Pharm.D., chief clinical officer of McKesson Specialty Care Solutions. “Improving the standard of care for men with androgen-independent metastatic prostate cancer and benchmarking practice treatment patterns against national guidelines are the primary goals of this program.” The Onmark IQ Program on Metastatic Prostate Cancer is the seventh IQ program offered by Onmark. Over 170 oncology clinics are participating. In total, nearly 500 Onmark member clinics have participated in IQ Programs on conditions such as breast cancer, febrile neutropenia, non-small cell lung cancer, multiple myeloma and bone metastasis since 2007. Onmark IQ Programs leverage information gathered through McKesson’s proprietary Lynx Mobile® technology to trigger patient-specific physician surveys that are completed online. All survey data collected are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and ensure patient privacy. Participating Onmark members earn account credits for providing clinical treatment insights via the surveys. At the conclusion of each program, the aggregated results are presented to participants with a comprehensive analysis comparing their practice-specific treatment patterns to national guidelines and fellow practitioners. “Onmark IQ Programs enable oncologists to benchmark their treatment decisions against national guidelines and a large group of peers across the country,” said Mike Cunningham, Pharm.D., vice president and general manager of GPO and Information Services for McKesson Specialty Care Solutions. “Through these programs, the clinical and technological solutions offered by McKesson advance knowledge among leading oncologists and drive evidence-based, quality patient care across the nation.” About Onmark Onmark, a McKesson Specialty Care Solutions company, is a leading national group purchasing organization (GPO) for community-based practices with more than 3000 members representing over 4,800 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 15th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and healthcare 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 has been in continuous operation for more than 175 years, making it the longest-operating company in healthcare today. 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 division 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 on McKesson, visit http://www.mckesson.com. ________________________________________ [1] http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/Prostate/statistics/ [2] http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/uscs/ PR ContactToni Eberhardt | 480.663.4108 | toni.eberhardt@mckesson.com |
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