Personalized Risk-Stratified Cancer Follow-Up Care: Its Potential for Healthier Survivors, Happier Clinicians, and Lower Costs

Abstract The growth in the number of cancer survivors in the face of projected health-care workforce shortages will challenge the US health-care system in delivering follow-up care. New methods of delivering follow-up care are needed that address the ongoing needs of survivors without overwhelming a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:JNCI : Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2019-05, Vol.111 (5), p.442-448
Main Authors: Mayer, Deborah K, Alfano, Catherine M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cancer
Health care
Health risks
Oncology
Survival
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Summary:Abstract The growth in the number of cancer survivors in the face of projected health-care workforce shortages will challenge the US health-care system in delivering follow-up care. New methods of delivering follow-up care are needed that address the ongoing needs of survivors without overwhelming already overflowing oncology clinics or shuttling all follow-up patients to primary care providers. One potential solution, proposed for over a decade, lies in adopting a personalized approach to care in which survivors are triaged or risk-stratified to distinct care pathways based on the complexity of their needs and the types of providers their care requires. Although other approaches may emerge, we advocate for development, testing, and implementation of a risk-stratified approach as a means to address this problem. This commentary reviews what is needed to shift to a risk-stratified approach in delivering survivorship care in the United States.
ISSN:0027-8874
1460-2105
DOI:10.1093/jnci/djy232