Defining the Value of Interventional Radiology to Healthcare Stakeholders: Proceedings from a Society of Interventional Radiology Research Consensus Panel.

Interventional radiology (IR) has collectively struggled to articulate and prove its value to several external stakeholders. The goal of this research consensus panel was to provide a summary of the existing knowledge, identify current gaps in knowledge, identify the strengths and weaknesses in existing data, and prioritize research needs related to the value of IR. Panelists were asked to identify the critical relationships/alliances that should be fostered to advance the prioritized research and determine how the Society of Interventional Radiology and the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation can further support these initiatives. Following presentations and discussions, it was determined that proving and quantifying how IR decreases the length of stay and prevents hospital admissions are the most salient, value-related research topics to pursue for the specialty.

Health Economic Impact and Prospective Clinical Utility of Oncotype DX® Genomic Prostate Score.

Prostate cancer (CaP) will be diagnosed in approximately 181,000 American men in 2016. Despite the high number of deaths from CaP in the United States, the disease has a protracted natural history and many men diagnosed with CaP will not die of the disease regardless of treatment. Unfortunately, identification of men with truly indolent/ nonaggressive CaP is challenging; limitations of conventional diagnostic modalities diminish the ability of physicians to accurately stage every case of CaP based on biopsy results alone. The resulting uncertainty in prognosis may prompt men with low-risk CaP to proceed to morbid and expensive treatments for an unclear survival benefit. Incorporation of the Genomic Prostate Score (GPS) as part of the decision algorithm for patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network very low-risk and low-risk cancer led to a substantial increase in uptake of active surveillance and substantial cost savings. GPS provides physicians and patients with an additional tool in assessing personalized risk and helps guide individual decision making.