title: Bending the Cost Curve in Childhood Cancer.
abstract: Healthcare for children with cancer costs significantly more than other children. Cost reduction efforts aimed toward relatively small populations of patients that use a disproportionate amount of care, like childhood cancer, could have a dramatic impact on healthcare spending. The aims of this review are to provide stakeholders with an overview of the drivers of financial costs of childhood cancer and to identify possible directions to curb or decrease these costs. Costs are incurred throughout the spectrum of care. Recent trends in pharmaceutical costs, evidence identifying the contribution of administration costs, and overuse of surveillance studies are described. Awareness of cost and value, i.e., the outcome achieved per dollar or burden spent, in delivery of care and research is necessary to bend the cost curve. Incorporation of these dimensions of care requires methodology development, prioritization, and ethical balance.
authors.affiliation: Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers, Baylor College of Medicine, 6701 Fannin St, Suite 1580.00, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. hvrussel@txch.org.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Texas Children's Hospital, 6621 Fannin St, WB1-120, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: M Brooke
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Bernhardt
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010166:Palliative Care
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: Cancer; Children; Health economics; Healthcare