Results of the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology National Oncology Census

Purpose: The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) National Oncology Census (Census) provides a mechanism for ASCO to systematically gather and analyze information about current practice structures and potential changes at a time when practices are working to adapt to increasing administrative and financial pressures. The Census is conducted annually and reports on new and trending data. Methods: The 2013 Census was launched on May 30, 2013, as a national survey of oncology practices. The survey required practices to answer 11 questions and provided additional optional questions. Results: The Census collected 530 useable responses in 2013 compared with 632 respondents in 2012. Practices reporting in 2013, however, represented a total of 8,011 physicians compared with only 5,018 in 2012. Conclusion: The pace of policy change in oncology practice is changing the landscape of how practices are organized. A greater number of practices with more than seven physicians responded in 2013, which could indicate overall growth in the size of oncology practice. Practices reported increased affiliations with hospitals through a variety of contractual mechanisms. In subsequent census efforts, ASCO will have the capability to match 2013 respondents to future respondents, allowing for increased precision in comparison of longitudinal data.