Mediterranean White Bean and Lentil Salad
Ingredients
It is well documented that healthcare costs and spending have been growing at staggering rates. Healthcare accounts for ~17% of total gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States. In comparison, in 1960, healthcare only accounted for about 5% of GDP. Our current level of spending is nearly double the average percentage of GDP of every other country in the world. Total healthcare spending comes from many sources, including but not limited to hospital care, physician and clinical services, nursing home care, administrative costs, and prescription drugs. Read More ›
Dr Hansen’s article brings to light financial aspects of healthcare that we do not often consider. A recent economic analysis showed the total cost of cancer care in the US reached $209.9 billion in 2005.1 The high costs of chronic cancer care come in second to cardiac disease (23% and 38%, respectively).2,3 However, increased costs do not yield longer life. Read More ›
The past decade has seen a dramatic upsurge in the utilization of specialty pharmacies for all types of therapeutic modalities, including those for cancer. The cost of cancer care may rise from about $125 billion in 2010 to $207 billion by the end of the decade. Read More ›
The evolution of drug research and development toward oral therapies for cancer over the past decade has created a number of questions for the oncology healthcare provider. Will insurance companies pay for these exceptionally expensive medications? How and when will patients receive their medication? Who will be responsible for ensuring patient education and monitoring to maximize safe drug administration and patient compliance? Read More ›
Comprehensive cancer resource centers provide a supportive environment in which patients can obtain accurate, current information about their specific type of cancer and become active partners in their healthcare. Access to up-to-date information can play a significant role in helping patients and their family members cope effectively with the complexities of cancer. Read More ›
With the growing number of cancer survivors, survivorship planning is getting a lot of attention. An important aspect of cancer survivorship is the effects on nurses, who become “secondary survivors,” of the toll cancer takes on patients and families. As such, nurses need to be aware of the possibility of “compassion fatigue.” Read More ›
A recent study, published in August 2011 by Friese and colleagues, correlates the incidence of accidental chemotherapy exposure in outpatient infusion centers to several factors.1 Appearing first online in BMJ Quality and Safety, the article discusses staffing and resource availability, as well as adherence to safety practice standards and their contribution to higher chemotherapy exposure event reporting. In summary, when the nurses sampled reported adequate staffing and resource availability, the reported incidence of accidental exposure to chemotherapy was lower. Read More ›
The Oncotype DX breast cancer assay for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a strong and significant predictor of 10-year risk of recurrence in women with DCIS, according to a study presented at the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) held in December 2011. It is the first clinically validated genomic assay to predict risk of local recurrence for women with DCIS, and it is now available from Genomic Health.
To sign up for our newsletter or print publications, please enter your contact information below.