ASCO Releases Criteria for Clinical Pathways in Oncology

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently published criteria for the development of high-quality clinical pathways in oncology to ensure that all clinical pathways used in oncology promote high-quality patient care. 

The Society created the criteria to meet the need for a more standardized and transparent way to develop these pathways given the current variability in how they are now developed.

“Well-designed and effectively implemented clinical pathways can support the delivery of evidence-based cancer care, while enhancing communication and education between a patient and his or her physician on the complex details of a treatment plan,” Daniel F Hayes, MD, president of ASCO, said in a press release. “ASCO seeks to guide the future development and implementation of pathways, while addressing stakeholder concerns that have surfaced following the rapid adoption of pathways in oncology.”

To date, it is estimated that 60 US health insurance plans implement clinical pathways specific to oncology. This number is expected to rise as insurance plans increasingly focus on ways to address rising health care costs and transition into the overall shift toward value-based care.

To ensure that clinical pathways in oncology support patient-centered, high-quality patient care, ASCO developed 15 criteria to help guide the development, implementation, and assessment of individual pathway programs. 

To this end, the criteria focus on three key areas: development, implementation and use, and analytics. Each criterion is presented as a series of practical question to help provide a framework for assessing individual programs. 

The criteria were published after review and feedback from all key stakeholders.

In a statement released in January 2016, ASCO recommended payers accept oncology clinical pathway programs that have achieved certification based on their meeting the specific criteria.

“Our hope is that these criteria will help guide the development and implementation of pathway programs in addition to assisting oncology providers and other stakeholders to better evaluate clinical pathways as they safeguard patient care,” Robin Zon, MD, chair of ASCO’s task force on clinical pathways, said in the press release. —Mary Beth Neirengarten