Lessening Cancer Care Costs: Oncologists Should Speak Openly About The Possibility of Death

We’ve reached the second half of our discussion on Bending the Cost Curve in Cancer Care. The authors of the NEJM paper, Drs. T. Smith and B. Hillner, go on to consider how doctors’ behavior influences costs in Changing Attitudes and Practice. Today’s point on the list: “Oncologists need to recognize that the costs of care are driven by what we do and what we do not do.”

In other words (theirs): “The first step is a frank acknowledgment that changes are needed.” A bit AA-ish, but fair enough –

The authors talk about needed, frank discussions between doctors and patients. They emphasize that oncologists/docs drive up costs and provide poorer care by failing to talk with patients about the possibility of death, end-of-life care, and transitions in the focus of care from curative intent to palliation.

They review published findings on the topic:

In a study at our institution of 75 hospitalized patients with cancer, the oncologist had initiated a discussion of advance directives with only 2 patients.31 In a prospective, multicenter study of 360 patients, only 37% of the patients and their families could recall having a discussion about impending death with the physician.32 Such a discussion is a prerequisite to good planning. Oncologists wait until symptoms appear or until they believe that nothing more can be done.33 In one study, at 2 months before their death, half the patients with metastatic lung cancer had not had a discussion with their doctors about hospice.34 This may explain why in a recent series the average length of stay in hospice for patients with lung cancer was 4 days.35

Although I have questions about the specific methods for some of these references, the bottom line is clear: Oncologists wait too long to talk with their patients about palliative or hospice care.

What they’re saying is that doctors need to get a grip on the problem (to overcome their denial and inability to talk about death), if they want to help patients come to terms with the inevitable. Doing so would save billions each year in the US, and would also spare patients from futile treatments and needless suffering.

I couldn’t agree more. It’s a potential win/win, if physicians think realistically about the situation and possible outcomes, and speak openly — and gently, no matter what, with their patients.

*This blog post was originally published at Medical Lessons*


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