Key takeaways

• A standardized framework evaluates oncology advanced practice provider (APP) value across access, financial performance, quality and safety, and workforce sustainability. 
• Financial metrics extend beyond direct billing to capture clinic contribution margins, reduced reliance on locum tenens coverage, and the costs of turnover and onboarding. 
• The authors recommend executive ownership of APP metrics, accountable APP leadership with protected administrative time, and integration into routine executive dashboards. 

A standardized metrics framework aims to make oncology APP contributions more visible to executive leaders, according to an abstract presented at the 2026 JADPRO Live meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The framework addresses the lack of consistent measures for evaluating advanced practice alongside physicians and oncology service lines. 

The authors identified reliance on role descriptions and anecdotal accounts as a barrier to workforce planning and assessment of return on investment. Metric selection was informed by national literature on oncology workforce and advanced practice trends, with alignment to existing executive performance measures intended to support comparability across settings.  

Access and throughput measures include APP-led visit volume, the proportion of new and follow-up visits managed by APPs, time to the next available appointment in APP-supported clinics, and additional visit capacity created through APP-led services. 

Financial measures include APP-attributable work relative value units interpreted in the context of the care model, contribution margins from APP-led clinics, revenue preservation through reduced locum tenens use, and the financial effects of turnover, onboarding, and lost productivity. 

Quality and safety measures address patient satisfaction, readmissions, emergency department utilization, adherence to evidence-based pathways, documentation integrity, and measurable outcomes from APP-led quality improvement initiatives. Workforce measures include turnover rates, vacancy duration, time to productivity after onboarding, and engagement or burnout indicators when available. 

The abstract describes the framework and recommended metrics rather than reporting implementation outcomes or demonstrated improvements in access, finances, or patient care. 

For oncology APPs and practice leaders, the proposed approach offers a structure for documenting contributions beyond billable encounters. The authors recommend assigning executive ownership, designating accountable APP leadership with protected administrative time, and incorporating performance data into routine executive dashboards to support proactive workforce decisions. 

Source

Vella EE, Beaton M, Brucker ME, et al. Making advanced practice value visible: core metrics for executive decision-making in oncology. Poster presented at: 2026 JADPRO Live; 2026; Minneapolis, MN. Poster JL1433C.