Patterns of Medical Care Cost by Service Type for Patients With Recurrent and De Novo Advanced Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: There is limited knowledge about the cost patterns of patients who receive a diagnosis of de novo and recurrent advanced cancers in the United States. METHODS: Data on patients who received a diagnosis of de novo stage IV or recurrent breast, colorectal, or lung cancer between 2000 and 2012 from 3 integrated health systems were used to estimate average annual costs for total, ambulatory, inpatient, medication, and other services during (1) 12 months preceding de novo or recurrent diagnosis (preindex) and (2) diagnosis month through 11 months after (postindex), from the payer perspective. Generalized linear regression models estimated costs adjusting for patient and clinical factors. RESULTS: Patients who developed a recurrence <1 year after their initial cancer diagnosis had significantly higher total costs in the preindex period than those with recurrence ≥1 year after initial diagnosis and those with de novo stage IV disease across all cancers (all P < .05). Patients with de novo stage IV breast and colorectal cancer had significantly higher total costs in the postindex period than patients with cancer recurrent in <1 year and ≥1 year (all P < .05), respectively. Patients in de novo stage IV and those with recurrence in ≥1 year experienced significantly higher postindex costs than the preindex period (all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal distinct cost patterns between patients with de novo stage IV, recurrent <1-year, and recurrent ≥1-year cancer, suggesting unique care trajectories that may influence resource use and planning. Future cost studies among patients with advanced cancer should account for de novo versus recurrent diagnoses and timing of recurrence to obtain estimates that accurately reflect these care pattern complexities.

Long-Term Patterns of Oral Anticancer Agent Adoption, Duration, and Switching in Patients With CML.

BACKGROUND: Oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been the standard of care for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) since 2001. However, few studies have evaluated changes in the treatment landscape of CML over time. This study assessed the long-term treatment patterns of oral anticancer therapies among patients with CML. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients newly diagnosed with CML between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2016, from 10 integrated healthcare systems. The proportion of patients treated with 5 FDA-approved oral TKI agents-bosutinib, dasatinib, imatinib, nilotinib, and ponatinib-in the 12 months after diagnosis were measured, overall and by year, between 2000 and 2017. We assessed the use of each oral agent through the fourth-line setting. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the odds of receiving any oral agent, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Among 853 patients with CML, 81% received an oral agent between 2000 and 2017. Use of non-oral therapies decreased from 100% in 2000 to 5% in 2005, coinciding with imatinib uptake from 65% in 2001 to 98% in 2005. Approximately 28% of patients switched to a second-line agent, 9% switched to a third-line agent, and 2% switched to a fourth-line agent. Adjusted analysis showed that age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, and comorbidity burden were statistically significantly associated with odds of receiving an oral agent. CONCLUSIONS: A dramatic shift was seen in CML treatments away from traditional, nonoral chemotherapy toward use of novel oral TKIs between 2000 and 2017. As the costs of oral anticancer agents reach new highs, studies assessing the long-term health and financial outcomes among patients with CML are warranted.

Collaborating on Data, Science, and Infrastructure: The 20-Year Journey of the Cancer Research Network.

The Cancer Research Network (CRN) is a consortium of 12 research groups, each affiliated with a nonprofit integrated health care delivery system, that was first funded in 1998. The overall goal of the CRN is to support and facilitate collaborative cancer research within its component delivery systems. This paper describes the CRN's 20-year experience and evolution. The network combined its members' scientific capabilities and data resources to create an infrastructure that has ultimately supported over 275 projects. Insights about the strengths and limitations of electronic health data for research, approaches to optimizing multidisciplinary collaboration, and the role of a health services research infrastructure to complement traditional clinical trials and large observational datasets are described, along with recommendations for other research consortia.

Evaluation of a Novel Financial Navigator Pilot to Address Patient Concerns about Medical Care Costs.

CONTEXT: Interventions are required that address patients' medically related financial needs. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a Financial Navigator pilot addressing patients' concerns/needs regarding medical care costs in an integrated health care system. METHODS: Adults (aged ≥ 18 years) enrolled at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, who had a concern/need about medical care costs and received care in 1 of 3 clinical departments at the intervention or comparison clinic were recruited between August 1, 2016, and October 31, 2016. Baseline and 30-day follow-up participant surveys were administered to assess medical and nonmedical socioeconomic needs, satisfaction with medical care, and satisfaction with assistance with cost concerns. Physicians at both clinics were invited to complete a survey on medical care costs. We assessed participant characteristics and survey responses using descriptive statistics and 30-day change in satisfaction measures using multivariable linear regression models. RESULTS: Eighty-five intervention and 51 comparison participants completed the baseline survey. At baseline, intervention participants reported transportation (52.9%), housing (38.2%), and social isolation (32.4%) needs; comparison participants identified employment (33.3%), food (33.3%), and housing (33.3%) needs. Intervention participants reported higher satisfaction with care (p = 0.01) and higher satisfaction with cost concerns assistance (p = 0.01) vs comparison participants at 30-day follow-up, controlling for baseline responses. Although most physicians (80%) reported discussing medical care costs with their patients, only 18% reported knowing about their patients' financial well-being. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the promise of a novel Financial Navigator pilot intervention to address medical care cost concerns and needs, and underscored the prevalence of nonmedical social needs in an economically vulnerable population.

Ongoing ostomy self-care challenges of long-term rectal cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Surgical treatment for rectal cancer (RC) can result in an intestinal ostomy that requires lifelong adaptation and investment of physical, cognitive, and financial resources. However, little is known about the extent of ongoing challenges related to ostomy self-care among long-term RC survivors. We analyzed the prevalence of self-reported ostomy self-care challenges and the physical and environmental factors that can support or undermine ostomy self-care. METHODS: We mailed surveys to long-term (≥ 5 years post-diagnosis) RC survivors, including 177 adults with ostomies who were members of integrated health systems in northern California, Oregon, and Washington State. Potential participants were identified through tumor registries. Data were also extracted from electronic health records. RESULTS: The response rate was 65%. The majority of respondents were male (67%), and the mean age was 75 years. Sixty-three percent of respondents reported at least one ostomy self-care challenge. The most common challenges were leakage or skin problems around the ostomy and needing to change the pouching system too frequently. Twenty-two percent reported difficulty caring for their ostomy. Younger age and higher BMI were consistently related to ostomy self-care challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of RC survivors reported ostomy-related self-care challenges, and 31% experienced problems across multiple domains of ostomy self-care. In addition, most survivors reported significant physical challenges that could lead to ostomy-related disability. Although the participants surveyed had access to ostomy care nurses, the care gaps we found suggest that additional work is needed to understand barriers to ostomy care, reduce unmet needs, and improve well-being among this group.

Medical Care Costs Associated With Cancer in Integrated Delivery Systems.

Background: The high economic burden of cancer is projected to continue growing. Cost-of-care estimates are key inputs for comparative effectiveness and economic analyses that aim to inform policies associated with cancer care. Existing estimates are based largely on SEER-Medicare data in the elderly, leaving a knowledge gap regarding costs for patients aged <65 years. Methods: We estimated total and net medical care costs using data on individuals diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer (n=45,522) and noncancer controls (n=314,887) enrolled in 1 of 4 participating health plans. Net costs were defined as the difference in mean total costs between patients with cancer and controls. The phase-of-care approach and Kaplan-Meier Sample Average method were used to estimate mean total and net 1- and 5-year costs (in 2015 US dollars) by cancer site, stage at diagnosis, and age group (<65 and ≥65 years). Results: Total and net costs were consistently highest for lung cancer and lowest for prostate cancer. Net costs were higher across all cancer sites for patients aged <65 years than those aged ≥65 years. Medical care costs for all cancers increased with advanced stage at diagnosis. Conclusions: This study improves understanding of medical care costs for the 4 most common invasive cancers in the United States. Higher costs among patients aged <65 years highlight limitations of relying on SEER-Medicare data alone to understand the national burden of cancer, whereas higher costs for patients with advanced-stage cancer underscore the importance of early detection to curtail high long-term costs. These cost estimates can be used in the development and evaluation of interventions and policies across the cancer care continuum.

Caregiving and mutuality among long-term colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies: qualitative study.

PURPOSE: The cancer caregiving literature focuses on the early phases of survivorship, but caregiving can continue for decades when cancer creates disability. Survivors with an ostomy following colorectal cancer (CRC) have caregiving needs that may last decades. Mutuality has been identified as a relationship component that can affect caregiving. This paper discusses how mutuality may affect long-term ostomy caregiving. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 31 long-term CRC survivors with ostomies and their primary informal caregivers. Interviewees were members of an integrated health care delivery system in the USA. We used inductive theme analysis techniques to analyze the interviews. RESULTS: Most survivors were 71 years of age or older (67%), female (55%), and with some college education (54%). Two thirds lived with and received care from spouses. Caregiving ranged from minimal support to intimate assistance with daily ostomy care. While some survivors received caregiving far beyond what was needed, others did not receive adequate caregiving for their health care needs. Low mutuality created challenges for ostomy caregiving. CONCLUSIONS: Mutuality impacts the quality of caregiving, and this quality may change over time, depending on various factors. Emotional feedback and amplification is the proposed mechanism by which mutuality may shift over time. Survivorship care should include assessment and support of mutuality as a resource to enhance health outcomes and quality of life for survivors with long-term caregiving needs and their caregivers. Appropriate questionnaires can be identified or developed to assess mutuality over the survivorship trajectory.

Use of Evidence-Based Prostate Cancer Imaging in a Nongovernmental Integrated Health Care System.

PURPOSE: The overuse of imaging, particularly for staging of low-risk prostate cancer, is well documented and widespread. The existing literature, which focuses on the elderly in fee-for-service settings, points to financial incentives as a driver of overuse and may not identify factors relevant to policy solutions within integrated health care systems, where physicians are salaried. METHODS: Imaging rates were analyzed among men with incident prostate cancer diagnosed between 2004 and 2011 within the Colorado and Northwest regions of Kaiser Permanente. The sample was stratified according to indication for imaging, ie, high risk for whom imaging was necessary versus low risk for whom imaging was discouraged. Logistic regression was used to model the association between imaging receipt and clinical/demographic patient characteristics by risk strata. RESULTS: Of the men with low-risk prostate cancer, 35% received nonindicated imaging at diagnosis, whereas 42% of men with high-risk prostate cancer did not receive indicated imaging. Compared with men diagnosed in 2004, those diagnosed in subsequent years were less likely to receive imaging across both risk groups. Men with high-risk cancer diagnosed at ≥ 65 years of age and those with clinical stage ≥ T2 were more likely to receive indicated imaging. Men with comorbidities were more likely to receive imaging across both risk groups. Men with low-risk prostate cancer who had higher median household incomes were less likely to receive nonindicated imaging. CONCLUSION: Nonindicated imaging for diagnostic staging of patients with low-risk prostate cancer was common, but has decreased over the past decade. These findings suggest that factors other than financial incentives may be driving overuse of imaging.

The Cancer Research Network: a platform for epidemiologic and health services research on cancer prevention, care, and outcomes in large, stable populations.

PURPOSE: The ability to collect data on patients for long periods prior to, during, and after a cancer diagnosis is critical for studies of cancer etiology, prevention, treatment, outcomes, and costs. We describe such data capacities within the Cancer Research Network (CRN), a cooperative agreement between the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and organized health care systems across the United States. METHODS: Data were extracted from each CRN site's virtual data warehouse using a centrally written and locally executed program. We computed the percent of patients continuously enrolled ≥1, ≥5, and ≥10 years before cancer diagnosis in 2012-2015 (year varied by CRN site). To describe retention after diagnosis, we computed the cumulative percentages enrolled, deceased, and disenrolled each year after the diagnosis for patients diagnosed in 2000. RESULTS: Approximately 8 million people were enrolled in ten CRN health plans on December 31, 2014 or 2015 (year varied by CRN site). Among more than 30,000 recent cancer diagnoses, 70 % were enrolled for ≥5 years and 56 % for ≥10 years before diagnosis. Among 25,274 cancers diagnosed in 2000, 28 % were still enrolled in 2010, 45 % had died, and 27 % had disenrolled from CRN health systems. CONCLUSIONS: Health plan enrollment before cancer diagnosis was generally long in the CRN, and the proportion of patients lost to follow-up after diagnosis was low. With long enrollment histories among cancer patients pre-diagnosis and low post-diagnosis disenrollment, the CRN provides an excellent platform for epidemiologic and health services research on cancer incidence, outcomes, and costs.

Rate of Second and Third Trimester Weight Gain and Preterm Delivery Among Underweight and Normal Weight Women.

Objectives Low gestational weight gain (GWG) in the second and third trimesters has been associated with increased risk of preterm delivery (PTD) among women with a body mass index (BMI) < 25 mg/m(2). However, few studies have examined whether this association differs by the assumptions made for first trimester gain or by the reason for PTD. Methods We examined singleton pregnancies during 2000-2008 among women with a BMI < 25 kg/m(2) who delivered a live-birth ≥28 weeks gestation (n = 12,526). Women received care within one integrated health care delivery system and began prenatal care ≤13 weeks. Using antenatal weights measured during clinic visits, we interpolated GWG at 13 weeks gestation then estimated rate of GWG (GWGrate) during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. We also estimated GWGrate using the common assumption of a 2-kg gain for all women by 13 weeks. We examined the covariate-adjusted association between quartiles of GWGrate and PTD (28-36 weeks gestation) using logistic regression. We also examined associations by reason for PTD [premature rupture of membranes (PROM), spontaneous labor, or medically indicated]. Results Mean GWGrate did not differ among term and preterm pregnancies regardless of interpolated or assumed GWG at 13 weeks. However, only with GWGrate estimated from interpolated GWG at 13 weeks, we observed a U-shaped relationship where odds of PTD increased with GWGrate in the lowest (OR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.10, 1.69) or highest quartile (OR 1.49, 95 % CI 1.20, 1.85) compared to GWGrate within the second quartile. Further stratifying by reason, GWGrate in the lowest quartile was positively associated with spontaneous PTD while GWGrate in the highest quartile was positively associated with PROM and medically indicated PTD. Conclusions Accurate estimates of first trimester GWG are needed. Common assumptions applied to all pregnancies may obscure the association between GWGrate and PTD. Further research is needed to fully understand whether these associations are causal or related to common antecedents.

Associations of Gestational Weight Gain with Preterm Birth among Underweight and Normal Weight Women.

Studies report increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) among underweight and normal weight women with low gestational weight gain (GWG). However, most studies examined GWG over gestational periods that differ by term and preterm which may have biased associations because GWG rate changes over the course of pregnancy. Furthermore, few studies have specifically examined the amount and pattern of GWG early in pregnancy as a predictor of PTB. Within one integrated health care delivery system, we examined 12,526 singleton pregnancies between 2000 and 2008 among women with a body mass index <25 kg/m(2), who began prenatal care in the first trimester and delivered a live-birth >28 weeks gestation. Using self-reported pregravid weight and serial measured antenatal weights, we estimated GWG and the area under the GWG curve (AUC; an index of pattern of GWG) during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy (≤28 weeks). Using logistic regression adjusted for covariates, we examined associations between each GWG measure, categorized into quartiles, and PTB (<37 weeks gestation). We additionally examined associations according to the reason for PTB by developing a novel algorithm using diagnoses and procedure codes. Low GWG in the first and second trimesters was not associated with PTB [aOR 1.11, (95% CI 0.90, 1.38) with GWG <8.2 kg by 28 weeks compared to pregnancies with GWG >12.9]. Similarly, pattern of GWG was not associated with PTB. Our findings do not support an association between GWG in the first and second trimester and PTB among underweight and normal weight women.

Did changes in drug reimbursement after the medicare modernization act affect chemotherapy prescribing?

PURPOSE: The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) decreased fee-for-service (FFS) payments for outpatient chemotherapy. We assessed how this policy affected chemotherapy in FFS settings versus in integrated health networks (IHNs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined 5,831 chemotherapy regimens for 3,613 patients from 2003 to 2006 with colorectal cancer (CRC) or lung cancers in the Cancer Care Outcomes Research Surveillance Consortium. Patients were from four geographically defined regions, seven large health maintenance organizations, and 15 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. The outcome of interest was receipt of chemotherapy that included at least one drug for which reimbursement declined after the MMA. RESULTS: The odds of receiving an MMA-affected drug were lower in the post-MMA era: the odds ratio (OR) was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.89). Important differences across cancers were detected: for CRC, the OR was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.46 to 0.92); for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the OR was 1.60 (95% CI, 1.09 to 2.35); and for small-cell lung cancer, the OR was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.34 to 1.16). After the MMA, FFS patients were less likely to receive MMA-affected drugs: OR, 0.73 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.89). No pre- versus post-MMA difference in the use of MMA-affected drugs was detected among IHN patients: OR, 1.01 (95% CI, 0.66 to 1.56). Patients with CRC were less likely to receive an MMA-affected drug in both FFS and IHN settings in the post- versus pre-MMA era, whereas patients with NSCLC were the opposite: OR, 1.60 (95% CI, 1.09 to 2.35) for FFS and 6.33 (95% CI, 2.09 to 19.11) for IHNs post- versus pre-MMA. CONCLUSION: Changes in reimbursement after the passage of MMA appear to have had less of an impact on prescribing patterns in FFS settings than the introduction of new drugs and clinical evidence as well as other factors driving adoption of new practice patterns.

Patient-centered interventions to improve medication management and adherence: a qualitative review of research findings.

OBJECTIVE: Patient-centered approaches to improving medication adherence hold promise, but evidence of their effectiveness is unclear. This review reports the current state of scientific research around interventions to improve medication management through four patient-centered domains: shared decision-making, methods to enhance effective prescribing, systems for eliciting and acting on patient feedback about medication use and treatment goals, and medication-taking behavior. METHODS: We reviewed literature on interventions that fell into these domains and were published between January 2007 and May 2013. Two reviewers abstracted information and categorized studies by intervention type. RESULTS: We identified 60 studies, of which 40% focused on patient education. Other intervention types included augmented pharmacy services, decision aids, shared decision-making, and clinical review of patient adherence. Medication adherence was an outcome in most (70%) of the studies, although 50% also examined patient-centered outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a large number of medication management interventions that incorporated patient-centered care and improved patient outcomes. We were unable to determine whether these interventions are more effective than traditional medication adherence interventions. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Additional research is needed to identify effective and feasible approaches to incorporate patient-centeredness into the medication management processes of the current health care system, if appropriate.

Positron emission tomography and stage migration in head and neck cancer.

IMPORTANCE: Since 2001, there has been a rapid adoption of positron emission tomography (PET) for diagnosis and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging of head and neck cancer (HNC) without data describing improved clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between increased use of PET and stage and/or survival for patients with HNC in the managed care environment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients diagnosed as having HNC (n = 958) from 2000 to 2008 at 4 integrated health systems were identified via tumor registries linked to administrative data. The AJCC stage distribution, patient and treatment characteristics, and survival between pre-PET era (2000-2004) vs PET era (2005-2008) and use of PET vs no use of PET during the PET era were compared. The AJCC stages were categorized to represent localized (stage I or II), locally advanced (stage III, IVA, or IVB), and metastatic (stage IVC) disease. INTERVENTIONS: Treatments were determined by billing codes for surgery, radiation treatment, and chemotherapy. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome for this study was the use of PET. Secondary outcomes included treatment received and 2-year survival. A logit model estimated the effects of PET on diagnosis of locally advanced disease. Kaplan-Meier estimates described overall survival differences between PET and non-PET. Cox regression evaluated the association of PET on survival in patients with locally advanced disease. RESULTS: An association between PET and locally advanced disease was found (odds ratio, 2.86 [95% CI, 1.90-4.29) (P < .001). Two-year overall survival for patients with locally advanced disease with and without PET was 52% and 32%, respectively (P = .004), but there was no difference for all stages (P = .69). On Cox proportional hazard regression, PET had no association with survival in patients with locally advanced disease (hazard ratio, 1.208 [95% CI, 0.778-1.877]) (P = .40). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The increasing use of PET among patients with HNC is associated with a greater number of patients with higher-stage disease and a dilution of the population with higher-stage disease with patients who have a better prognosis. Thus, the improved survival in patients with locally advanced disease likely reflects selection bias and stage migration. Further research on PET use among patients with HNC is necessary to determine if it results in improved treatment for individual patients.

Caregivers as healthcare managers: health management activities, needs, and caregiving relationships for colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies.

PURPOSE: While the burdens and rewards of cancer caregiving are well-documented, few studies describe the activities involved in cancer caregiving. We employed a social-ecological perspective to explore the work of cancer caregiving for long-term colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors with ostomies. We focused on healthcare management, defined here as the ways in which informal caregivers participate in healthcare-related activities such as managing medical appointments and information, obtaining prescriptions and supplies, and providing transportation to obtain healthcare services. METHODS: This ethnographic study included 31 dyads consisting of long-term CRC survivors (>5 years postsurgery) and their primary informal caregivers. Survivors were members of integrated healthcare delivery systems. We interviewed participants using in-depth interviews and followed a subset using ethnographic methods. Medical record data ascertained survivors' cancer and medical history. RESULTS: We classified families into a matrix of healthcare management resources (high vs. low) and survivors' healthcare needs (high vs. low). We found that patients' healthcare needs did not always correspond to their caregivers' management activities. CRC survivors with high needs had more unmet needs when caregivers and survivors differed in the level of caregiver involvement they desired or regarded as optimal. This discrepancy was particularly evident in nonmarital relationships. CONCLUSIONS: As cancer survivors age and grow in number, it becomes increasingly important to understand how informal caregivers support survivors' well-being. Framing healthcare management as a component of caregiving provides a useful perspective that could facilitate future research and interventions to support survivors, particularly those with significant sequelae from their cancer treatment.

Spiritual well-being in long-term colorectal cancer survivors with ostomies.

OBJECTIVE: Spiritual well-being (SpWB) is integral to health-related quality of life. The challenges of colorectal cancer (CRC) and subsequent bodily changes can affect SpWB. We analyzed the SpWB of CRC survivors with ostomies. METHODS: Two-hundred-eighty-three long-term (≥ 5 years) CRC survivors with permanent ostomies completed the modified City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy (mCOH-QOL-O) questionnaire. An open-ended question elicited respondents' greatest challenge in living with an ostomy. We used content analysis to identify SpWB responses and develop themes. We analyzed responses on the three-item SpWB sub-scale. RESULTS: Open-ended responses from 52% of participants contained SpWB content. Fifteen unique SpWB themes were identified. Sixty percent of individuals expressed positive themes such as "positive attitude", "I am fortunate", "appreciate life more", and "strength through religious faith". Negative themes, expressed by only 29% of respondents, included "struggling to cope", "not feeling 'normal' ", and "loss". Fifty-five percent of respondents expressed ambivalent themes including "learning acceptance", "an ostomy is the price for survival", "reason to be around despite suffering", and "continuing to cope despite challenges". The majority (64%) had a high SpWB sub-scale score. CONCLUSIONS: Although CRC survivors with ostomies infrequently mentioned negative SpWB themes as a major challenge, ambivalent themes were common. SpWB themes were often mentioned as a source of resilience or part of the struggle to adapt to an altered body after cancer surgery. Interventions to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors should contain program elements designed to address SpWB that support personal meaning, inner peace, inter connectedness, and belonging.

Providing care for cancer survivors in integrated health care delivery systems: practices, challenges, and research opportunities.

PURPOSE: Optimal approaches to cancer survivorship care are needed. This study sought to identify practices, barriers, and research opportunities in meeting the care needs of cancer survivors in integrated health care delivery systems. METHODS: This study was conducted at 10 sites within the Cancer Research Network, a National Cancer Institute-funded consortium of integrated health care delivery systems providing care for nearly 11 million enrollees. We identified 48 clinical leaders, administrators, and providers in oncology, primary care, nursing administration, and specialty care. Forty (83%) completed semi-structured, audio-recorded, transcribed telephone interviews, which we analyzed using an immersion-crystallization approach. RESULTS: Respondents were aware of the needs of cancer survivors and the difficulties they face in transitioning from treatment to follow-up care. Respondents from all sites reported that oncology and primary care are jointly responsible for the care of cancer survivors, often through the use of electronic medical records. Many respondents were not familiar with standardized survivorship care plans. Only two sites had formal cancer survivorship programs in place, and two were developing such programs. Respondents at sites with and without programs acknowledged existing gaps in evidence on the effectiveness of formal survivorship care and expressed a desire for additional research. CONCLUSION: Our exploratory study suggests an awareness of cancer survivorship care in integrated health care delivery systems, although approaches to providing such care vary across systems. These settings may offer a unique opportunity to develop, test, and implement innovative models of care, which can be systematically evaluated to inform and enhance cancer survivorship care in diverse health care settings.

Use of diagnostic imaging studies and associated radiation exposure for patients enrolled in large integrated health care systems, 1996-2010.

CONTEXT: Use of diagnostic imaging has increased significantly within fee-for-service models of care. Little is known about patterns of imaging among members of integrated health care systems. OBJECTIVE: To estimate trends in imaging utilization and associated radiation exposure among members of integrated health care systems. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective analysis of electronic records of members of 6 large integrated health systems from different regions of the United States. Review of medical records allowed direct estimation of radiation exposure from selected tests. Between 1 million and 2 million member-patients were included each year from 1996 to 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Advanced diagnostic imaging rates and cumulative annual radiation exposure from medical imaging. RESULTS: During the 15-year study period, enrollees underwent a total of 30.9 million imaging examinations (25.8 million person-years), reflecting 1.18 tests (95% CI, 1.17-1.19) per person per year, of which 35% were for advanced diagnostic imaging (computed tomography [CT], magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], nuclear medicine, and ultrasound). Use of advanced diagnostic imaging increased from 1996 to 2010; CT examinations increased from 52 per 1000 enrollees in 1996 to 149 per 1000 in 2010, 7.8% annual increase (95% CI, 5.8%-9.8%); MRI use increased from 17 to 65 per 1000 enrollees, 10% annual growth (95% CI, 3.3%-16.5%); and ultrasound rates increased from 134 to 230 per 1000 enrollees, 3.9% annual growth (95% CI, 3.0%-4.9%). Although nuclear medicine use decreased from 32 to 21 per 1000 enrollees, 3% annual decline (95% CI, 7.7% decline to 1.3% increase), PET imaging rates increased after 2004 from 0.24 to 3.6 per 1000 enrollees, 57% annual growth. Although imaging use increased within all health systems, the adoption of different modalities for anatomic area assessment varied. Increased use of CT between 1996 and 2010 resulted in increased radiation exposure for enrollees, with a doubling in the mean per capita effective dose (1.2 mSv vs 2.3 mSv) and the proportion of enrollees who received high (>20-50 mSv) exposure (1.2% vs 2.5%) and very high (>50 mSv) annual radiation exposure (0.6% vs 1.4%). By 2010, 6.8% of enrollees who underwent imaging received high annual radiation exposure (>20-50 mSv) and 3.9% received very high annual exposure (>50 mSv). CONCLUSION: Within integrated health care systems, there was a large increase in the rate of advanced diagnostic imaging and associated radiation exposure between 1996 and 2010.

Early and late complications among long-term colorectal cancer survivors with ostomy or anastomosis.

PURPOSE: Among long-term (>or=5 y) colorectal cancer survivors with permanent ostomy or anastomosis, we compared the incidence of medical and surgical complications and examined the relationship of complications with health-related quality of life. BACKGROUND: The incidence and effects of complications on long-term health-related quality of life among colorectal cancer survivors are not adequately understood. METHODS: Participants (284 survivors with ostomies and 395 survivors with anastomoses) were long-term colorectal cancer survivors enrolled in an integrated health plan. Health-related quality of life was assessed via mailed survey questionnaires from 2002 to 2005. Information on colorectal cancer, surgery, comorbidities, and complications was obtained from computerized data and analyzed by use of survival analysis and logistic regression. RESULTS: Ostomy and anastomosis survivors were followed up for an average of 12.1 and 11.2 years, respectively. Within 30 days of surgery, 19% of ostomy survivors and 10% of anastomosis survivors experienced complications (P < .01). From 31 days on, the percentages were 69% and 67% (after adjustment, P < .001). Bleeding and postoperative infection were common early complications. Common long-term complications included hernia, urinary retention, hemorrhage, skin conditions, and intestinal obstruction. Ostomy was associated with long-term fistula (odds ratio, 5.4; 95% CI 1.4-21.2), and among ostomy survivors, fistula was associated with reduced health-related quality of life (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Complication rates remain high despite recent advances in methods of surgical treatment. Survivors with ostomy have more complications early in their survivorship period, but complications among anastomosis survivors catch up after 20 years, when the 2 groups have convergent complication rates. Among colorectal cancer survivors with ostomy, fistula has especially important implications for health-related quality of life.

Health-related quality of life and utilities in primary-care patients with generalized anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is prevalent and significantly impacts patient health-related quality of life (HRQL) and disability. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effect of GAD and anxiety symptom severity on the HRQL of primary-care patients with GAD. METHODS: Patients 18 years or older with GAD were recruited from an integrated health care delivery system. Clinical assessments included the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), GAD Questionnaire-IV (GAD-Q-IV), and the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module (PHQ). HRQL was assessed by the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), SF-12 Health Survey (SF-6D), and the Health Utilities Index (HUI2, HUI3). RESULTS: The sample included 297 patients, 72% women with mean +/- standard deviation (SD) age of 47.6 +/- 13.7 years. At baseline, the mean HAM-A score was 16.8 +/- 7.6 (suggesting the presence of moderate anxiety symptoms). Anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly correlated with mental component summary (MCS), Q-LES-Q-SF, SDS, SF-6D, HUI2, and HUI3 scores (all P < 0.001). The mean HRQL and all of the preference-based measures varied significantly by anxiety severity groups (all P < 0.001). Anxiety and depression symptoms significantly predicted HRQL and preference-based scores (R(2) values ranged from 0.22 to 0.57). CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety symptoms reported by GAD patients resulted in significant impairment to HRQL and functional outcomes.