Optimizing Oncology Services: A Case Study in Strategic Alignment and Growth

A large, regional health system initiates to position itself strategically to offer the community a wide breadth of community cancer care programming but encounters issues.

Situation

Successful physician alignment with numerous oncologists is critical to experiencing regional growth, sub-specialization, and strategic differentiation. This regional health system was hampered by a lack of economic and strategic alignment with a large group of independent medical oncologists which is a common issue in this sector. Although the physicians fully participated in select cancer center programs sponsored by the health system, the lack of practice integration created conflict and competitiveness across infusion services, growth initiatives, and care model innovation. Further, most of the care delivery in the community did not maximize available drug purchasing programs under eligible 340B programs which resulted in raising the overall cost of care in the community.

Solutions

The regional health system retained VMG Health to perform a comprehensive service line assessment and recommend potential strategic affiliation options for the health system’s consideration and the independent medical oncology practice’s consideration. VMG Health completed various analytical frameworks to evaluate affiliation opportunities, including capacity planning, retail pharmacy sufficiency, value-based care and ACO waiver eligibility, combined growth opportunities, business combination models, and 340B cost savings.

Upon selection of a preferred practice affiliation model by the independent group practice and the health system, VMG Health completed several independent valuations connected to business enterprise value, provider compensation, assets, and value-based compensation programming.

Success

The parties signed a definitive agreement setting forth a plan for business combination and development of a single medical oncology group practice structure. A Professional Services Agreement (PSA) is the primary transaction vehicle to support the business combination strategy. The overall affiliation framework provides opportunities for community oncology providers to subspecialize, grow, and be remunerated for high-value care delivery. The regional health system has achieved greater scale to support growth and investment, full economic alignment across its oncology service, and an engaged group of providers co-leading medical administrative functions.