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Ferrara L, Otto M, Aapro M, Albreht T, Jonsson B, Oberst S, Oliver K, Pisani E, Presti P, Rubio IT, Terkola R, Tarricone R. How to improve efficiency in cancer care: dimensions, methods, and areas of evaluation. J Cancer Policy 2022; 34:100355. [PMID: 36007873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpo.2022.100355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Efficiency in healthcare is crucial since available resources are scarce, and the opportunity cost of an inefficient allocation is measured in health outcomes foregone. This is particularly relevant for cancer. The aim of this paper was to gain a comprehensive overview of how efficiency in cancer care is defined, and what the indicators, different methods, perspectives, and areas of evaluation are, to provide recommendations on the areas and dimensions where efficiency can be improved. METHODS: A comprehensive scoping literature review was performed searching four databases. Studies published between 2000-2021 were included if they described experiences and cases of efficiency in cancer care or methods to evaluate efficiency. The results of the literature review were then discussed during two rounds of online consultation with a panel of 15 external experts invited to provide their insights and comments to deliberate policy recommendations. RESULTS: 46 papers met the inclusion criteria. Based on the papers retrieved we have identified six areas for achieving efficiency gains throughout the entire care pathway and, for each area of efficiency, we have categorized the methods and outcome used to measure efficiency gain CONCLUSION: This is the first attempt to systematize a scattered body of literature on how to improve efficiency in cancer care and identify key areas to improve it. Based on the findings of the literature review and on the opinion of the experts involved in the consultation, we propose seven recommendations that are intended to improve efficiency in cancer care throughout the care pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Ferrara
- Cergas SDA Bocconi School of management, via Sarfatti, 11 - 20136 Milano (Italy).
| | - Monica Otto
- Cergas SDA Bocconi School of management, via Sarfatti, 11 - 20136 Milano (Italy).
| | - Matti Aapro
- Genolier Hospital Genolier Cancer Center, SPCC - Sharing Progress in Cancer Care, Route du Muids 3, 1272 Genolier (Switzerland).
| | - Tit Albreht
- Centre for Health Care, National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, (Slovenia) iPAAC - Innovative Partnership for Action against Cancer.
| | - Bengt Jonsson
- Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Simon Oberst
- OECI - Organisation of European Cancer Institutes, rue d'Egmont 11, B-1000 Brussels (Belgium).
| | - Kathy Oliver
- IBTA - International Brain Tumor Alliance, Tadworth, Surrey (United Kingdom).
| | - Eduardo Pisani
- All.Can - All.Can International asbl, Brussels, rue du Luxemburg 22-24, BE-1000 Brussels (Belgium).
| | - Pietro Presti
- SPCC - Sharing Progress in Cancer Care, Piazza Indipendenza 2, 6500 Bellinzona (Switzerland).
| | - Isabel T Rubio
- Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Madrid, ESSO - European Society of Surgical Oncology, Av. de Pío XII, 36, 31008 Pamplona, Navarra (Spain).
| | - Robert Terkola
- University Medical Center Groningen; University of Florida -College of Pharmacy; ESOP - European Society of oncology pharmacy.
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