Medical practices and cancer care networks: examples in oncology.
Understanding medical practices or the whys and wherefores of care decision-making is among the major objectives of medical, economic and sociological research in the current political environment. Although variations of medical practice have long been known to exist, causes and deciding factors remain obscure. This is one of the reasons why medical auditing became widely used in the past years. Using methods similar to those of clinical research, we will explore existing medical practices and their implications, with the aim to propose possible improvements. Elaborating clinical practice guidelines and promoting cancer network activities might prove promising and have a significant impact on clinical practice. This article provides a state-of-the-art overview of the subject, notably in the domain of oncology where substantial advances are being made.
Ray-Coquard
Isabelle
I
Centre Léon Bérard, 28, rue Laennec, 69008 Lyon, France. ray@lyon.fnclcc.fr
Chauvin
Franck
F
Lurkin
Antoine
A
Ducimetière
Françoise
F
Jacquin
Jean Philippe
JP
Agostini
Cécile
C
Pouchard
Isabelle
I
Meyer
Bernard
B
Farsi
Fadila
F
Castel
Patrick
P
Perrier
Lionel
L
Philip
Thierry
T
D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000592:standards*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care