First, here’s my point-by-point commentary on Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care (NEJM, May 25, 2011) by Drs. Thomas J. Smith and Bruce E. Hillner.
Intro: Running 2 Lists That Might Lessen the Costs of Oncology Care
1. Lowering Cancer Care Costs by Reducing Tests After Treatment
2. Reducing Cancer Costs by Giving One Drug at a Time, Sequentially
3. Reducing Costs by Holding Back on Chemotherapy for Cancer Patients Who are Frail
4. Reducing Costs by Giving White Cell Colony Stimulating Factors in Smaller Doses (instead of or in addition to reducing chemotherapy, as suggested in the NEJM paper)
5. Lowering Cancer Care Costs by Limiting Chemotherapy in Patients Who Aren’t Responding
6. Oncologists Need to Get a Grip on Reality, and Talk to Their patients
7. On Reducing Cancer Care Costs by Resetting Expectations, and Hope
8. Reducing Cancer Care Costs: Value of Cognitive Work
9. Reducing Costs by Better Integration of Palliative Care in Cancer Treatment
10. Reducing Cancer Care Costs by Comparative and Cost-Effectiveness Research (CER)
(list is done! summary/ruminations to follow)
Other, ML posts on health care costs:
Health Care Costs, Communication and Informed Choices (Feb, 2010)
9 + 1 Ways to Reduce Health Care Costs (April, 2010)
When ‘No’ Turns Positive in Medical Care and Education (April, 2010)
It’s Not About the Money (Sep, 2010)
The Cost of Room Service and Other Hospital Amenities (Dec, 2010)
Opening Up a Dialogue on the R-Word (Feb, 2011)
In Defense of Primary Care, and of Sub-Sub-Sub-Specialists (Mar, 2011)