Coordinating cancer care in independent oncology clinics
Project 2: Care Integration for Patients with Cancer Treated in Independent Practices
This project looks at how independent cancer clinics coordinate care and which approaches help patients get higher-quality, more connected care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145951 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team will describe how independent oncology practices organize care, including structures, processes, staff relationships, and teamwork. They will conduct case studies at selected clinics and survey practice leaders, managers, clinicians, staff, and patients to learn practical ways integration happens. The project will compare different kinds of integration (structural, normative, functional, interpersonal, and process) and link them to measures of care quality and patient outcomes. Findings will be shared with other project teams and cores to refine measurement and suggest improvements clinics can use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with cancer who receive care from independent oncology practices, including those undergoing active treatment, survivorship follow-up, or palliative care.
Not a fit: Patients treated exclusively at large academic medical centers or those whose care does not cross multiple providers may not directly benefit from findings focused on independent practices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinics coordinate care better, reduce gaps or delays, and improve patient experiences and outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Care coordination models have shown benefits in other medical settings, but applying and measuring integration specifically in independent oncology practices is less tested.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard Medical School — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keating, Nancy L — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Keating, Nancy L
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.