Consumer And Research Groups Release Cancer Guides For Patients

(By – Mary Agnes Carey, Kaiser Health News)

For many patients, getting information on various treatment options for a medical condition isn’t hard. Finding out which ones are the best bets for the money can be more difficult.

A new collaboration between the consumers group Families USA and the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), an independent nonprofit research organization, released two guides Thursday to help patients and their health care providers decide which screenings and treatments offer the best value in terms of clinical and cost effectiveness for two types of cancer.

The groups plan to produce about six reports each year. Future topics will include lower back pain, ADHD and type 2 diabetes.

The “Proven Best Choices” guides rate how well one option works compared to others based on scientific evidence and how a treatment’s cost compares to its long-term benefits.

“These publications will help patients and consumers work with their physicians to think through what is the best course of treatment when you have a significant illness,” said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA.  “For many health problems, particularly severe health problems, the choices can be bewildering and they can be very difficult for patients to really think through what’s in their best interest.” Read more…

Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit national health policy news service that is part of the nonpartisan Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

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