Communicating the Financial Burden of Treatment With Patients

2018 ◽  
pp. 524-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Nipp ◽  
Ellen Miller Sonet ◽  
Gery P. Guy
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Care ◽  
Psychological Symptoms ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Burden Of Treatment ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Care Costs ◽  
Financial Burden Of Cancer ◽  
Patient Concerns

In recent years, high health care costs and the financial burden of cancer care have received increased attention. In response to the financial burden of cancer care, patients may jeopardize their health outcomes by not properly adhering to prescribed therapies or even forgoing and delaying care in an effort to defray costs. In addition, the financial burden experienced by patients with cancer may negatively impact clinical outcomes, such as quality of life, physical and psychological symptoms, and potentially, even survival. Notably, in the current era of targeted treatment and immunotherapies for patients with cancer, the rising costs of cancer continue to remain at the forefront of patient concerns. Therefore, a critical need exists to determine how best to assist patients with the cost burden of cancer diagnosis and treatment

Impact of Financial Burden of Cancer on Survivors' Quality of Life

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 332-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen M. Fenn ◽  
Suzanne B. Evans ◽  
Ruth McCorkle ◽  
Michael P. DiGiovanna ◽  
Lajos Pusztai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Independent Predictor ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Care Costs ◽  
Financial Burden Of Cancer

Increased financial burden as a result of cancer care costs is the strongest independent predictor of poor quality of life among cancer survivors.

Navigating the high costs of cancer care: opportunities for patient engagement

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander H Gunn ◽  
Corinna Sorenson ◽  
Rachel A Greenup
Keyword(s):  
Digital Technology ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
System Level ◽  
Patient Level ◽  
The Past ◽  
Drug Prices ◽  
Economic Experience ◽  
Care Costs ◽  
Financial Burden Of Cancer

Over the past decade, the financial burden of cancer care on patients and their families has garnered increased attention. Many of the potential solutions have focused on system-level interventions such as adopting value-based payment models and negotiating drug prices; less consideration has been given to actions at the patient level to address cancer care costs. We argue that it is imperative to develop and support patient-level strategies that engage patients and consider their preferences, values and individual circumstances. Opportunities to meet these aims and improve the economic experience of patients in oncology are discussed, including: shared decision-making and communication, financial navigation and treatment planning, digital technology and alternative care pathways, and value-based insurance design.

scholarly journals Efficiency Evaluation of Hospitals in the Environment of the Czech and Slovak Republic

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 2109-2118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanislav Sendek ◽  
Zuzana Svitálková ◽  
Katarína Angelovičová
Keyword(s):  
Practice Patterns ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Parametric Method ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Output Performance ◽  
Quality Of Patient Care ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Care Costs ◽  
Decision Making Units

The paper applies the Data Envelopment Analysis as a deterministic non-parametric method based on the linear programming, to measure the efficiency of Czech and Slovak hospitals based on input and output performance. Managing physician or hospital practice patterns is an important tool to reduce health care costs. State-run hospitals, as decision-making units working in an operating healthcare system, might have some excess resources in the process of providing care. Ehealth tools are expected to contribute to the cost containment in them, enhancing finally the quality of patient care in the overall assessment.

scholarly journals Out-of-Pocket Spending for Cancer Medication, Financial Burden, and Cost Communication with Oncologists in the Last Six Months of Life in Israel

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1120
Author(s):  
Aviad Tur-Sinai ◽  
Netta Bentur ◽  
Damien Urban
Keyword(s):  
Private Health Insurance ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Treatment Alternatives ◽  
Financial Burden Of Cancer ◽  
Heavy Financial Burden

Honest communication between oncologists and patients is important in alleviating the financial burden of cancer care. This study explored patient–relative–oncologist communication regarding the affordability of out-of-pocket (OOP) medication and the extent to which this communication addresses itself to the families’ financial burden. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among primary caregivers of deceased cancer patients. About 43% of relatives said that they and/or the patients had paid out of pocket for medications during the last six months of the patient’s life. Most (73%) oncologists suggested an OOP medication without asking about financial ability, 43% hardly explained the advantages of an OOP medication, and 52% hardly explained any treatment alternatives. Older age and female gender were related to less communication about an OOP medication, and better education, greater affluence, and having private health insurance were related to more communication. About 56% of relatives said that OOP payment for medications inflicted a very heavy or heavy financial burden on patients and their households. Physicians’ interest in financial ability and giving explanation lightened the burden. Given the difficulty of explaining the complex interactions of cost and clinical outcomes, oncologists need to be better educated in skills that would enable them to communicate costs more openly and should consider the cost of a treatment when prescribing it.

Injuries and the Cost of Falls Among Older Adults—How Pharmacists Can Help

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald Limona
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Medical Expenditures ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Considerable Morbidity ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Serious Injuries ◽  
Care Costs

Fall-related injuries are a serious public health issue among older adults. In addition to having a significant impact on our economy, these injuries are associated with considerable morbidity. Each year, 1 out of every 3 adults aged 65 and older fall; of these adults, 10% to 20% sustain serious injuries such as fractures or head traumas. Such injuries account for about 6% of medical expenditures for adults 65 years and older. Pharmacist interventions can prevent falls, thereby improving the quality of life of these older adults, preserving their independence, and significantly reducing health care costs.

scholarly journals Opportunities for Quality Improvement Programs (QIPs) in the Nutrition Support of Patients with Cancer

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Arensberg ◽  
Julie Richards ◽  
Jyoti Benjamin ◽  
Kirk Kerr ◽  
Refaat Hegazi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Nutrition Support ◽  
Oral Nutrition ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Treatment Interruptions ◽  
Improvement Programs ◽  
Quality Improvement Programs

Malnutrition in patients with cancer is a ubiquitous but neglected problem that can reduce patient survival/quality of life and increase treatment interruptions, readmission rates, and healthcare costs. Malnutrition interventions, including nutrition support through dietary counseling, diet fortification, oral nutrition supplements (ONS), and enteral and parenteral nutrition can help improve health outcomes. However, nutritional care standards and interventions for cancer are ambiguous and inconsistently applied. The lack of systematic malnutrition screening and intervention in ambulatory cancer care has especially significant consequences and thus the nutrition support of patients with cancer represents an area for quality improvement. United States healthcare payment models such as the Oncology Care Model are linked to quality of care and health outcomes. Quality improvement programs (QIPs) can advance patient-centered care, perfect care processes, and help healthcare professionals meet their quality measure performance goals. Malnutrition QIPs like the Malnutrition Quality Improvement Initiative (MQii) have been shown to be effective in identifying and treating malnutrition. However, little is known about or has been reported on nutrition or malnutrition-focused QIPs in cancer care. This paper provides information to support translational research on quality improvement and outlines the gaps and potential opportunities for QIPs in the nutrition support of patients with cancer.

Reducing the Cost of Cancer Care: How to Bend the Curve Downward

2012 ◽  
pp. e46-e51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Smith ◽  
Bruce E. Hillner ◽  
Ronan J. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Care ◽  
Clinical Pathways ◽  
Cost Curve ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Curative Therapy ◽  
Appropriate Care ◽  
Insurance Costs ◽  
Oncology Care ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Care Costs

Overview: Health care and cancer care costs are rising unsustainably such that insurance costs have doubled in 10 years. Oncologists find themselves both victims of high costs and the cause of high-cost care by what we do and what we do not do. We previously outlined five ways that oncologists could personally bend the cost curve downward and five societal attitudes that would require change to lower costs. Here, we present some practical ways to reduce costs while maintaining or improving quality, including: 1) evidence-based surveillance after curative therapy; 2) reduced use of white cell stimulating factors (filgrastim and pegfilgrastim); 3) better integration of palliative care into usual oncology care; and 4) use of evidence-based, cost-conscious clinical pathways that allow appropriate care and lead to equal or better outcomes at one-third lower cost.

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