Report
Note: Workshop Summaries contain the opinion of the presenters, but do NOT reflect the conclusions of the IOM. Learn more about the differences between Workshop Summaries and Consensus Reports.
Like other areas of health care, oncology is under pressure to control expenses while improving patient outcomes and the quality of care. Unlike many other areas of health care, however, oncology faces unique challenges that can make it especially difficult to control costs. Many cancer patients have a grim prognosis and are facing imminent death, so patients and professionals feel a sense of urgency to try every possible treatment in the hopes of at least prolonging life. Providers face pressure to apply the newest technologies and treatments--which are often among the most expensive--even when supporting evidence is incomplete or uncertain. Cancer treatments can be highly toxic or even life-threatening, and providers are often reluctant to switch from toxic treatments to palliative care, even at the end of life. These and other challenges can inhibit objective discussions about the value of oncology care.
On February 9-10, 2009, the National Cancer Policy Forum held a workshop to explore these issues from multiple perspectives, including those of patients and patient advocates, providers, insurers, health care researchers, federal agencies, and industry. Assessing and Improving the Value in Cancer Care summarizes workshop discussions and presentations, which focused the goal of describing value in oncology. Workshop participants sought to provide an objective concept of value to those faced with difficult decisions regarding developing, evaluating, prescribing, and paying for cancer care.
Other Reports by this Activity
Displaying: 3 of 5 Reports
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Ensuring Quality Cancer Care through the Oncology Workforce: Sustaining Care in the 21st Century. Workshop Summary
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) predicts that by 2020, there will be an 81 percent increase in people living with or surviving cancer but only a 14 percent increase in the number of practicing oncologists. As a result, there may be too few oncologists to meet the population’s need for cancer care. To help address the challenges in overcoming this potential crisis of cancer care, the National Cancer Policy Forum of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) convened the workshop “Ensuring Quality Cancer Care through the Oncology Workforce: Sustaining Care in the 21st Century” in Washington, DC on October 20 and 21, 2008.
Released: April 24, 2009
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Multi-Center Phase III Clinical Trials and NCI Cooperative Groups. Workshop Summary
The NCI-sponsored cooperative groups have made important contributions to improving treatment for many types of cancer, including breast, ovarian, colorectal, and childhood cancers. Cooperative group research has been instrumental in establishing innovative treatments that improve outcomes and quality of life. Despite these successes, the Cooperative Group Program has faced a number of challenges that threaten its effectiveness.
To address this problem, the National Cancer Policy Forum (NCPF) convened a workshop titled “Multi-Center Phase III Clinical Trials and NCI Cooperative Groups” in Washington, DC, on July 1-2, 2008. The purpose of the workshop was to outline the challenges that the public clinical cancer research enterprise faces, and to identify possible solutions to these challenges.
Released: January 23, 2009
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Implementing Colorectal Cancer Screening. Workshop Summary
Colorectal cancer screening remains low, despite strong evidence that screening prevents deaths. With the aim to make recommended colorectal cancer screening more widespread, the workshop discussed steps to be taken at the clinic, community, and health system levels.
Released: December 11, 2008
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