Health care economics of cancer in the elderly

Abstract

Changing economic circumstances have brought increased pressure to bear on the traditional revenue sources of oncologists. Practice standards and settings are being challenged to generate cost savings both for third-party payers and for oncology practices. Add to this the growing number of patients older than 65 years, and particularly older than 85 years, and the profession is facing a forced reconsideration of its approach to patient treatment. The current and future training of oncologists needs to incorporate both a multidisciplinary approach of cancer subspecialties and an enhanced ability to evaluate the use and cost-effectiveness of new therapies, second-line and third-line therapies, and palliative treatments.

Economic and social changes among distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients

“…Multidisciplinary efforts are warranted to address caregivers’ practical concerns, health maintenance, and psychosocial needs. As a greater proportion of cancer care occurs at home [3–4], continued study of the burdens that home care places on the family will inform clinical care and health policy efforts.…”

“…Given the decline in health care resources and the growth of outpatient care, family caregivers have increasingly assumed a central role in the patient’s health care [3–4]. Family caregivers assist ill friends or relatives with personal or medical care tasks and provide informational, financial, or emotional support [5–6].…”

Distressed family caregivers of lung cancer patients: an examination of psychosocial and practical challenges

“…Family caregivers of cancer patients have increasingly assumed responsibility for patient care due to the decline in health care resources, shorter hospital stays, and the associated expansion of outpatient care [1, 2]. Family caregivers have been defined as those who assist ill relatives or friends with self-care and medical tasks as well as those who provide informational, financial, and emotional support [3, 4].…”

Economic Impact Among Family Caregivers of Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer

“…16,17 Cancer among population impact on ''direct medical'' costsVthe costs that are directly attributable to the patient's cancer, such as those for medications, physician fees, hospitalizations, and office visitsVand, equally, on ''direct nonmedical'' costsVcosts that are still directly attributable to the patient's cancer but are not for medical services, such as transportation, dietary supplements, and lost wages associated with family caregiving. 18 The more cancer care is transferred from the inpatient to the outpatient setting, 19 the more the burden of caring for cancer patients is increasingly falling on their families, and these direct nonmedical costs will continue to grow. A number of studies have estimated the direct medical costs attributable to the care of elderly patients with different types of cancer.…”