Variations in hospitalization and emergency department or observation (ED/OB) stays using the oncology care model (OCM) methodology in Medicare data.

112Background: The Medicare OCM started in 2016 to improve oncology care and reduce costs. Two metrics for care evaluation are hospitalizations and ED/OB stays. Baseline data (2012−2015) on variations in all-cause hospitalization and ED/OB stays not resulting in hospitalization in the 21 reconciliation-eligible cancer types are not well characterized. Methods: We applied OCM methodology in Medicare fee-for-service 20% sample data to estimate 6-month patient (pt) episodes triggered by chemotherapy, as well as associated cancer type and practice, from 2012 to 2015. Proportions of episodes with hospitalization and ED/OBs stay were summarized overall and by cancer for all episodes and by practice in those with ≥20 pt-episodes. Results: In total, 485,186 pt-episodes at 13,823 practices were identified (mean episodes/practice, 35.1; median, 2; IQR, 1–15). The mean number of episodes/pt was 1.90 overall (from 1.17 in anal cancer to 2.32 in multiple myeloma [MM]). The proportion of episodes with hospitalization w...