City of Hope launches AccessHope™, a wholly owned

AccessHope^TM remotely connects patients to expertise from world-renowned national comprehensive cancer center, providing unparalleled decision support to patients and their treating physicians.
City of Hope has invested over $40 million into AccessHope and has assembled leading talent in the medical and health care community to help guide the new company.
AccessHope currently serves approximately 1.95 million members who can access these unparalleled cancer support benefits through 34 employers, including 11 Fortune 500 companies.

DUARTE, Calif., Oct. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- City of Hope, a world-renowned independent cancer research and treatment center, today announced the formal launch of AccessHope, a wholly owned subsidiary dedicated to serving employers and their health care partners by providing access to City of Hope’s exceptional cancer expertise. Instead of requiring patients to travel to City of Hope, AccessHope exports
leading-edge insights from National Cancer Institute-level subspecialists to employees, family members and their treating oncologists — wherever they are located — to improve clinical outcomes, quality of life and optimize cancer care.

Representing an innovative new model for a leading cancer center to export the latest cancer care knowledge, AccessHope partners with employers to provide their employees with cancer information and expert clinical decision support. AccessHope integrates with an employer’s other health care partners, including health plans, third-party administrators and pharmacy benefit managers to provide services. Recognizing the central role of the community oncologist, AccessHope offers collaborative support that is informed by leading-edge research: diagnosis and treatment plan consultation, recommendations on possible clinical trials, precision medicine guidance and other best practices.

“We recognized several years ago the tremendous benefit to cancer patients of re-imagining how they can receive the most innovative care available as close to home as possible,” said Robert Stone, City of Hope’s president and chief executive officer. “The demand we have experienced from employers across the country led us to form AccessHope, which will accelerate and expand our ability to partner with like-minded employers, doctors and health care providers to transform the industry.”

“Best practices in oncology are evolving at an extraordinary pace, and the health plans and delivery system need support to ensure that all patients have consistent access to the most current data and best treatments,” said Harlan Levine, M.D., president of Strategy and Business Ventures at City of Hope and AccessHope chair of the board. “By leveraging the knowledge that comes from precision medicine and clinical research, our aim is to address disparities in health outcomes and optimize a patient’s opportunity for survival,” Levine continued. “We are impacting more than 80% of cases we engage, supporting patients remaining in their own communities, with local physicians of their choice.”

Helping lower health care costs

AccessHope also can ease health care costs. Cancer treatment options may frequently exceed $1 million per patient, and cancer is commonly in the top-three diagnostic categories for employers, driving 12% or more of total medical spend in addition to being a significant contributor to employee time away from work. AccessHope can reduce overall health care costs for employer-sponsored health plans since a more precise treatment plan from the start can significantly reduce the cost to fight cancer.

For example, for every $1 invested by the employer, AccessHope’s Accountable Precision Oncology^TM service has the potential to return back more than $3 in value when the recommendations that AccessHope provides are adopted. AccessHope also can help patients living with cancer return to their lives and work, improving patient quality of life.

“The simple fact is that data-driven decisions lead to better care, outcomes and costs; and when the shared interests of self-insured employers are mobilized at scale, it will drive industry transformation,” said Robert Andrews, CEO, Health Transformation Alliance. “AccessHope embodies this shared interest. It will be the catalyst for widespread systems that change the field of cancer care.”

A fast-growing network

Today, AccessHope serves approximately 1.95 million members who have these cancer support benefits through 34 employers including 11 Fortune 500 companies, as well as collaborative relationships with Health Transformation Alliance and Quantum Health.

A pilot program with Blue Shield of California is also underway to provide a convenient way for community oncologists treating Blue Shield PPO members to consult directly with some of the best cancer specialists in the world and discuss the latest information on cancer treatments.

To support its rapid growth, City of Hope has invested over $40 million into AccessHope and has assembled talent in the medical and health care community to help guide the company. In addition to Levine serving as the executive chair, renowned leaders Norman Payson, M.D. and Glenn Steele Jr., M.D., Ph.D., have also joined the AccessHope board of directors.

“A patient’s best chance of cure is often the first chance of cure, making it mission-critical that optimal treatments are identified and administered at the onset. AccessHope is the key to unlocking this promise for anyone, regardless of geography,” said Mark Stadler, CEO, AccessHope.

Offering a suite of industry-leading cancer support services

AccessHope has designed a suite of cancer support services that fill a much-needed gap in comprehensive care with industry-disrupting offerings that include:

Accountable Precision Oncology: A first-of-its-kind program that helps patients toward the right treatment path. Accountable Precision Oncology uses a proprietary algorithm of ICD10 and Rx condition triggers to target the top 20% of cancers that are most vulnerable to care mismatches in the treatment plan, are the most complicated/complex, and will be most positively impacted with respect to outcomes and cost savings by early and effective intervention.
Expert Advisory Review: After a cancer diagnosis, patients can contact AccessHope to request a review of their medical record from an expert in their specific cancer type to evaluate the therapeutic approach. When needed, AccessHope’s expert can work with an employee’s local physician to provide input on a clinically appropriate treatment plan — with the goal of achieving optimal outcomes without the patient ever needing to travel for care.
Cancer Support Team: Experienced oncology nurses are available to speak with patients and their families. Nurses can help patients understand their specific type of cancer, prepare for their first appointment with an oncologist, and provide emotional support and direction to trusted informational materials.
Expert Evaluation: During an in-person evaluation at City of Hope, patients are paired with an oncologist or hematologist who specializes in their specific type of cancer and receive consultations with additional experts as needed (e.g., surgical oncologist, radiation oncologist, supportive care practitioner or other specialists). The service is inclusive of coordination with the patient’s local doctor in continuing their ongoing care.

About AccessHope
AccessHope believes in putting the ever-growing body of cancer knowledge to work for the greater good. The company delivers a revolutionary employee health benefit that connects cancer patients and their families with expertise from a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. A wholly owned subsidiary of City of Hope, AccessHope is sharing the latest discoveries in cancer care and working with local oncologists to help develop precise plans for treatment. The company brings the vast expertise of major medical centers to people near and far. They never have to switch doctors. They never have to leave home. It’s simply a better approach to cancer care. And getting better every day. For more information about AccessHope, and to view a full list of its leadership, visit www.myaccesshope.org and follow us on LinkedIn.

About City of Hope
City of Hope is an independent biomedical research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy such as CAR T cell therapy. City of Hope’s translational research and personalized treatment protocols advance care throughout the world. Human synthetic insulin and numerous breakthrough cancer drugs are based on technology developed at the institution. A National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, City of Hope has been ranked among the nation’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report for 14 consecutive years. Its main campus is located near Los Angeles, with additional locations throughout Southern California. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.