“If I’m in an ACO, and I’m taking care of a lot of MS patients, I’ll already lose money for the accountable care system,” Dr. English said. “They may not necessarily want an MS center inside an ACO.”
What can doctors do? “Advocacy efforts are pretty difficult for physicians,” Dr. English said. “Our hope is that the CMSC will be a clearinghouse for doctors who have ideas and efforts and advocacy, and somehow channel that into the actual provision of care. You have people advocating for medications and for research and for patients, but there’s nobody advocating for the actual care that’s going on, the boots-on-the-ground care. That’s where CMSC should play a big role.”
Dr. English disclosed that he has served as a consultant for multiple pharmaceutical companies.