A method for analyzing the business case for provider participation in the National Cancer Institute's Community Clinical Oncology Program and similar federally funded, provider-based research networks.
BACKGROUND
The Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) plays an essential role in the efforts of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to increase enrollment in clinical trials. Currently, there is little practical guidance in the literature to assist provider organizations in analyzing the return on investment (ROI), or business case, for establishing and operating a provider-based research network (PBRN) such as the CCOP. In this article, the authors present a conceptual model of the business case for PBRN participation, a spreadsheet-based tool and advice for evaluating the business case for provider participation in a CCOP organization.


METHODS
A comparative, case-study approach was used to identify key components of the business case for hospitals attempting to support a CCOP research infrastructure. Semistructured interviews were conducted with providers and administrators. Key themes were identified and used to develop the financial analysis tool.


RESULTS
Key components of the business case included CCOP start-up costs, direct revenue from the NCI CCOP grant, direct expenses required to maintain the CCOP research infrastructure, and incidental benefits, most notably downstream revenues from CCOP patients. The authors recognized the value of incidental benefits as an important contributor to the business case for CCOP participation; however, currently, this component is not calculated.


CONCLUSIONS
The current results indicated that providing a method for documenting the business case for CCOP or other PBRN involvement will contribute to the long-term sustainability and expansion of these programs by improving providers' understanding of the financial implications of participation.
Department of Health Policy and Management, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. reiter@email.unc.edu
Kristin L
KL
Reiter
Paula H
PH
Song
Lori
L
Minasian
Marjorie
M
Good
Bryan J
BJ
Weiner
Ann Scheck
AS
McAlearney
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000191:economics*; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005377:Financial Management, Hospital; D006078:Government Programs / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D012107:Research Design; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D014481:United States