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Doctor Shortage, Rising Costs, makes quality
Cancer Care difficult
Newswise, March 8, 2011 — RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK,
N.C.—A shortage of oncologists and rising
costs of chemotherapy and radiation
therapies and imaging tests, are making
delivering quality cancer care increasingly
difficult, according to a new review by
researchers at RTI International and Eli
Lilly and Company.
The study, published in the March 1 issue of Cancer,
found that the definition of quality cancer
care differed among patients and physicians.
"High-quality
cancer care cannot be achieved without an
understanding of the perceptions of
quality," said Ann Colosia, Ph.D., a senior
associate in market access and outcomes
strategy at RTI Health Solutions, a business
unit of RTI and the paper's lead author.
"The quality of cancer care is under
pressure in part because of the rising
number of cancer patients in the United
States."
The researchers
reviewed 25 sources that described
interviews or surveys with patients,
providers or professionals in managed care
settings. They found that patients defined
quality cancer care as being treated well by
providers, having multiple treatment
options, and being part of the
decision-making process.
Patients report
poor quality of care when information is
difficult to obtain, trust is limited or
care is not well coordinated.
Providers, on the
other hand, perceive quality cancer care as
making decisions based on the risks-benefits
of specific chemotherapy regimens and
patients' health status rather than costs.
The study found
that payers must control the costs of cancer
care but do not want an adversarial
relationship with providers or patients.
They found that payers' methods of managing
cancer more efficiently involved working
with providers to develop assessment and
decision-assist tools.
"Health care reform must reflect these
various needs to maintain and improve
quality care while controlling costs,"
Colosia said.
The American
Society of Clinical Oncologists estimates
that by 2020 the shortage of oncologists in
the United States will be between 2,350 and
3,800, which represents a capacity of
between 9.5 million and 15 million office
visits.
The RTI report
suggests that to compensate for physician
shortages, nurse practitioners and physician
assistants likely will be used increasingly
in the future.
About RTI
International
RTI International is one of the world's
leading research institutes, dedicated to
improving the human condition by turning
knowledge into practice. Our staff of more
than 2,800 provides research and technical
expertise to governments and businesses in
more than 40 countries in the areas of
health and pharmaceuticals, education and
training, surveys and statistics, advanced
technology, international development,
economic and social policy, energy and the
environment, and laboratory and chemistry
services. For more information, visit
www.rti.org.
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