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More cancer patients are being screened for pain and depression — but that hasn't translated into more feeling helped. A study of over 200,000 Medicare patients in CMS' Oncology Care Model found that while screening rates jumped significantly, the share of patients who felt their oncology team actually addressed their symptoms quietly declined. Researchers say screening alone clearly isn't enough.
Cancer care has gotten better at asking the right questions — but not necessarily at answering them. A new study published in JCO Oncology Practice evaluated over 209,000 Medicare patients treated at 191 practices participating in CMS' Oncology Care Model (OCM), a program launched in 2016 to improve care quality through alternative payment incentives. Between 2017 and 2022, pain screening rose from 76.5% to 92.6% and depression screening climbed from 56.6% to 81.7% — both significant gains. But patients' sense of actually receiving help told a different story.
About half of patients reported pain or emotional problems throughout the study period. Yet the proportion who felt their oncology team "definitely" tried to help with pain or emotional issues trended downward — not up. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the drop in perceived help for emotional problems was especially sharp.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Screening is only the first step. For cancer patients — who face high rates of both pain and depression — feeling heard and helped is just as critical as being assessed. This study is a wake-up call for oncology practices to move beyond checkbox screening and invest in meaningful symptom management.
