Improving the Process of Screening for Medical Financial Hardship in Oncology Practice
Improving the Process of Screening for Medical Financial Hardship in Oncology Practice
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DOI：
10.1158/1055-9965.epi-21-0111
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发表时间：
2021-04-01
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Shih, Ya-Chen Tina
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Yabroff, K. Robin;Bradley, Cathy J.;Shih, Ya-Chen Tina
医疗财务困难，包括支付医疗费用的问题、痛苦以及因费用而放弃护理，在各个经济领域接受癌症治疗的患者和癌症幸存者中越来越普遍。然而，人们对医疗服务提供者识别经济困难患者的做法以及缓解困难和满足患者需求的策略知之甚少。在这篇社论中，我们讨论了 NCI 社区肿瘤学研究计划中的一项实践研究。麦克劳斯及其同事发现，筛查和财务导航的使用存在差异，并且对筛查方法的依赖不足。为了解决这些差异，我们强调在整个癌症治疗和生存护理过程中进行全面和持续的经济困难筛查的重要性，以及伴随咨询、导航和转诊的必要性。我们还推荐筛选工具的关键属性以及在临床实践中系统实施的流程。由于 COVID-19 大流行对健康和经济造成的不利影响对少数种族或族裔、没有保险或保险不足或生活贫困的人造成了不成比例的影响，因此解决医疗财务困难的需要比以往任何时候都更加紧迫，以确保所有人都有平等的机会获得高质量的癌症治疗和生存。
Medical financial hardship, including problems paying medical bills, distress, and forgoing care because of cost, is increasingly common among patients receiving cancer treatment and cancer survivors across the economic spectrum. Little is known, however, about provider practices for identifying patients who experience financial hardship and the strategies formitigating hardship and addressing patient needs. In this editorial, we discuss a study of practices within the NCI Community Oncology Research Program. McLouth and colleagues found disparities in the use of screening and financial navigation and reliance on inadequate screeningmethods. To address these disparities, we emphasize the importance of comprehensive and ongoing financial hardship screening throughout the course of cancer treatment and survivorship care, as well as the necessity of accompanying counseling, navigation, and referrals. Wealso recommend key attributes of screening tools and a process for systematic implementation within clinical practice. With adverse health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affecting people who are racial or ethnic minorities, uninsured or underinsured, or living in poverty, the need to addressmedical financial hardship ismore urgent than ever, to ensure that all people have an equal opportunity for high quality cancer treatment and survival.