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The Cutting Edge

Cancer Care in America Needs an Overhaul

  Dr. John Moriarty examines Todd Dunlap
  “We’ve had great scientific advances, and we can give great targeted therapy, and all of this is extremely costly,” says Dr. Patricia A. Ganz. “And if we don’t get it right, we’re going to just break the bank.”
Photo: A System in Crisis: Charting a Course for High-Quality Cancer Care (Video)

Cancer care in the United States is a system in crisis, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine that says urgent changes are needed to boost the quality of care and improve outcomes for people diagnosed with the disease.

The report, prepared by an IOM committee chaired by Patricia A. Ganz, MD ’73 (RES ’76, FEL ’78), director of cancer prevention and control research at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, attributes the crisis to the growing demand for cancer care among the aging Baby Boom generation, rapidly rising costs, a shrinking pool of cancer-care professionals and dramatic changes in cancer therapies over the last decade that sometimes make it difficult to determine which patients should receive what treatment.

“We have a lot of waste in the system, where people are given treatments that are unnecessary and costly,” says Dr. Ganz. “We’re not just talking about underuse, we’re talking about overuse as well. So the lack of coordination, the lack of the ability to evaluate the quality of care that you might receive, is what’s missing in the healthcare-delivery system today.”

Dr. Ganz says changes across the board are needed and that all stakeholders in the cancer-care community — from patients and researchers to care providers, payers and federal agencies — must work together to reevaluate their current roles and responsibilities in order to improve care and quality of life and outcomes.

In particular, the committee’s report recommends working toward a system in which patients are engaged and informed, care is accessible and affordable, and the cancer-care workforce is adequately staffed, trained and coordinated and provides evidence-based care. In addition, a firm focus must be placed on pursuing quality measurement and performance improvement, improving healthcare information technology and translating research into clinical practice.


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Winter 2014

Winter 2014
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IN THIS ISSUE
  • From Gene to Genome
  • Vacuum Device Offers an Innovative Approach to Remove Blood Clots
  • Cancer Care in America Needs an Overhaul
  • Be Happy: Your Genes May Thank You for It
  • Iron May Be at Core of Alzheimer’s Disease
  • Recent Affiliations Expand UCLA Health’s Presence
  • Nanodiamonds Deliver Chemotherapy Drugs Directly to Brain Tumors
  • Substituting Lower-cost Drugs Could Mean Big Savings
  • Researchers Assess Cost of ‘Futile’ Critical-care Treatments
  • Music Cuts through the Fog of Alzheimer’s
  • Gene Mutation Increases Risk of Schizophrenia, Learning Impairment
  • The Silver Tsunami
  • A Promise Fulfilled
  • Military Engagement
  • Connecting the Dots
  • Melody Maker
  • Awards/Honors
  • UCLA Medical Alumni Bring the Miracle of Sight to People in the Developing World
  • In His Own Words: Joseph Copeland, MD ’98
  • A Visionary Evening
  • Events
  • Chairs of Distinction
  • Gifts
  • In Memoriam
  • A Thanksgiving to Remember
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