McKesson Partners with National Comprehensive Cancer Network to Automate Access to NCCN Compendium

McKesson and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), a not-for-profit alliance of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers, are joining forces to streamline access to the NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium (NCCN Compendium^®). The NCCN Compendium^® is authoritative, scientifically derived information designed to support decision-making about the appropriate use of drugs and biologics in patients with cancer. NCCN Compendium content for off-label use on oncologics will be integrated into McKesson’s workflow solutions that automate the use of InterQual^® Criteria, helping physicians and health plans more readily collaborate in applying evidence-based standards to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of oncology services.

“As the population ages, cancers are increasing in prevalence, escalating demand for the innovative drugs and biologics used to treat them. At the same time, treatment options continue to proliferate, underscoring the need for oncologists and others to have access to evidence-based clinical criteria to make optimal treatment decisions,” explained William T. McGivney, Ph.D., chief executive officer of NCCN. “Combining the NCCN Compendium with McKesson’s InterQual Criteria and workflow solutions will help providers and payers navigate the complex landscape of appropriate cancer care by putting the same medical appropriateness information at their respective fingertips, ultimately accelerating the delivery of quality care to patients.”

The NCCN Compendium is recognized by major national payers and government agencies as an authoritative reference for oncology coverage policy. Based directly on the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®), the drug uses identified are based upon evaluation of evidence from scientific literature integrated with expert judgment in an evidence-based process. Indicated uses are categorized in a systematic approach that describes the type of evidence available for and the degree of consensus underlying each recommendation. The NCCN Compendium lists both FDA-approved uses and appropriate “off-label” uses beyond the FDA-approved label.

“NCCN is a recognized authority on cancer care. This partnership marries NCCN’s world-class Compendium content with InterQual, the leading criteria across payers and providers, then applies the power of automation to make content more actionable,” said Matthew Zubiller, vice president, Decision Management, McKesson Health Solutions. “The result is a streamlined process in which clinicians can make better informed decisions, payers and providers can significantly decrease the administrative burden of medical and utilization management, and patients can benefit from receiving the best cancer drugs faster.”

The NCCN Compendium will be available in the following two McKesson software solutions:

• Clear Coverage™ is a point-of-care utilization management, coverage determination and network compliance decision support platform. It incorporates InterQual Criteria in a fully automated, interactive workflow to support targeted, shared decision-making between a payer and its network providers. Clear Coverage is a software-as-a-service (SaaS), Web-based solution, which dramatically reduces implementation, operating and maintenance costs and shortens time-to-value for customers.
• CareEnhance^® Review Manager (Review Manager) software puts the power of InterQual evidence-based clinical decision support criteria at reviewers’ fingertips. Review Manager is a browser-based, interactive product that automates the care review process and enables data retrieval and aggregated reporting. Review Manager is connected with dozens of care management workflow tools.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), a not-for-profit alliance of 21 of the world’s leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN member institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives. For more information, visit NCCN.org.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 15th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.