Year: 2012
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: PURPOSE: The cost of cancer care continues to increase at an unprecedented rate. Concerns have been raised about financial incentives associated with the chemotherapy concession in oncology practices and their impact on treatment recommendations. METHODS: The objective of this study was to measure the physician-reported effects of prescribing chemotherapy or growth factors or making referrals to other cancer specialists, hospice, or hospital admissions on medical oncologists' income. US medical oncologists involved in the care of a population-based cohort of patients with lung or colorectal cancer from the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) study were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the impact of prescribing practices or referrals on their income. RESULTS: Although most oncologists reported that their incomes would be unaffected, compared with salaried oncologists, physicians in fee-for-service practice, and those paid a salary with productivity incentives were more likely to report that their income would increase from administering chemotherapy (odds ratios [ORs], 7.05 and 7.52, respectively; both P < .001) or administering growth factors (ORs, 5.60 and 6.03, respectively; both P < .001). CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of oncologists who are not paid a fixed salary report that their incomes increase when they administer chemotherapy and growth factors. Further research is needed to understand the impact of these financial incentives on both the quality and cost of care.
Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology
Institutions: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, Harvard University, University of California, Los Angeles, Georgetown University Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G178521060, G1951421599, G2015120636, G2430596335, NC Colorectal Cancer Care Outcomes Research Study, G342081589, Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS), G465357279, G4878863699, RAND-UCLA CanCORS PDCR Application, Deep South CanCORS Colorectal and Lung Cancer PDCR Site, G7055806524, Lung/Colon Cancer Outcomes--Cancer Research Network, G811783773, Cancer Care Outcomes Research &Surveillance Consortium
OpenAlex ID: W2170033310