The Institute of Medicine's National Cancer Policy Forum recently convened a public workshop called "Delivering Affordable Cancer Care in the 21st Century" in Washington, D.C., where participants suggested ways to improve the affordability and quality of cancer care, and discussed drivers of current and projected cancer costs.
Seven ways to achieve affordable and enhanced cancer care, according to workshop participants, were:
1. Improving education for patients and providers and better patient-clinician communication.
2. Greater use of and adherence to clinical practice guidelines.
3. Reducing the use of interventions with little value and more judicious use of expensive
treatments.
4. Coordinated, efficient care facilitated by electronic medical records.
5. Improved evidence base for cancer care, including the collection of information on
the effectiveness of interventions and technologies.
6. Financial incentives better aligned with high-quality, affordable care.
7. Changes in healthcare system delivery and reimbursement.
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Seven ways to achieve affordable and enhanced cancer care, according to workshop participants, were:
1. Improving education for patients and providers and better patient-clinician communication.
2. Greater use of and adherence to clinical practice guidelines.
3. Reducing the use of interventions with little value and more judicious use of expensive
treatments.
4. Coordinated, efficient care facilitated by electronic medical records.
5. Improved evidence base for cancer care, including the collection of information on
the effectiveness of interventions and technologies.
6. Financial incentives better aligned with high-quality, affordable care.
7. Changes in healthcare system delivery and reimbursement.
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