Tandigm in deal with cancer network
Tandigm Health agrees to work with Vantage Cancer Care Network. Both companies use information technology and tools to improve the way doctors deal with patients in a bid to improve quality and cut costs.
Tandigm Health, a West Conshohocken firm working to help 460 primary-care doctors in Southeastern Pennsylvania reduce costs and improve care, has agreed to work with Vantage Cancer Care Network, a similar network of 70 cancer doctors in the region, the two companies said Monday.
Tandigm is majority-owned by Independence Health Group, the region's biggest health insurer. Vantage is a subsidiary of McKesson, which is among the nation's largest drug distributors.
Vantage's business involves contracts with insurers that give Vantage a chance to reap some of the financial benefits of reducing the cost of care below benchmarks.
John Iacuone, president and chief clinical office said in an interview last year that the Philadelphia region was ripe for the approach because it had the "highest bed use per capita and it's dominated by fee-for-service."
Leading the effort locally for Vantage is John Sprandio, a Delaware County medical oncologist.
Independence Health Group, the parent of Independence Blue Cross, formed Tandigm as a 50-50 joint venture with Davita HealthCare Partners Inc. Last year, Davita reduced its stake in Tandigm to 19 percent and recorded a $40 million gain.