TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving the process of screening for medical financial hardship in oncology practice
AU - Yabroff, K. Robin
AU - Bradley, Cathy J.
AU - Shih, Ya Chen Tina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Association for Cancer Research.
PY - 2021/4
Y1 - 2021/4
N2 - Medical financial hardship, including problems paying medical bills, distress, and forgoing care because of cost, is increasinglycommon 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 screening methods. 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.
AB - Medical financial hardship, including problems paying medical bills, distress, and forgoing care because of cost, is increasinglycommon 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 screening methods. 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.
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U2 - 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-21-0111
DO - 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-21-0111
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33811171
AN - SCOPUS:85103922750
SN - 1055-9965
VL - 30
SP - 593
EP - 596
JO - Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
JF - Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention
IS - 4
ER -