If this poll is accurate, it’s no wonder that American healthcare costs are out of control
Peter Ubel’s survey of 1379 American oncologists produced some eye-finding findings:
On average, the responses implied that oncologists were willing to prescribe treatments that cost $245,972 per quality-adjusted life-year . . . in life-prolonging situations v. only $119,082 per QALY . . . for treatments that improve quality of life but do not prolong survival . . . .
This difference did not depend on age, gender, percentage of time in clinical work, or self-reported preparedness to use and interpret cost-effectiveness information. . . .
This difference suggests that oncologists value length of survival more highly than quality of life when making chemotherapy decisions.
© 2011 Michael A. Kozminski, Peter J. Neumann, Eric S. Nadler, Aleksandra Jankovic, and Peter A. Ubel, How Long and How Well: Oncologists’ Attitudes Toward the Relative Value of Life-Prolonging v. Quality of Life-Enhancing Treatments, Medical Decision Making 31(3): 38-385 (May/June 2011) (paragraph split)
Where’s Hippocrates in all this?
“So kids, my oncologist wants me to burden you with debt that will ruin your lives, while I suffer miserably until I croak.”
The moral?
What’s good for the money-oriented medical establishment is good for us all.
Right?
Tagged: Aleksandra Jankovic, cancer, chemotherapy, debt, Eric S. Nadler, healthcare costs, How Long and How Well Oncologists' Attitudes, Medical Decision Making, Michael A. Kozminski, Peter A. Ubel, Peter J. Neumann, QALY, quality-adjusted life-year