Video
Making the Grade on Survivorship: How are Payers Performing?
As cancer care becomes more powerful and people survivor longer, cancer is becoming a chronic disease that patients need to learn how to live with and remain productive. Although the role of payers in survivorship isn't fully baked yet, there is more focus in the area, according to Ira Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, chief medical officer at Aetna.
%jwplayer%
As cancer care becomes more powerful and people survivor longer, cancer is becoming a chronic disease that patients need to learn how to live with and remain productive. Although the role of payers in survivorship isn’t fully baked yet, there is more focus in the area, according to Ira Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, chief medical officer at Aetna.
During his session at the Patient-Centered Oncology Care meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr Klein discussed several aspects about what most payers are now doing in the space of survivorship. He highlighted 5 areas: screening, wellness, evidence-based medicine, holistic treatment, and transitions.
Dr Klein explained that proper treatment and guidance into survivorship will help patients get back to being productive at work and in life. Case management becomes crucial at 2 junctures: at the time of diagnosis and the time of discharge. Whether the patient is in remission or moving to palliative care, survivorship is a transition from active treatment, and physicians and payers can assist.
“If the patient has a chaotic journey through their cancer care, then they’re not set up for good survivorship,” he said.
