The Value of Measuring Value

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on MD Anderson's Cancerwise website.

MD Anderson's Institute for Cancer Care Excellence recently published an analysis of anticipated health care reform legislation in the noted journal CANCER and, along the way, illustrated why its research is vital to the future of MD Anderson and the cancer care community.

The review article, which appeared in the Nov. 8 issue of CANCER, outlined the many implications of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Reconciliation Act on Cancer Care Delivery. Signed into law last March by President Obama, the two health care reform acts open insurance coverage and ensure access to health care services to millions more Americans.

While the authors write that the true impact of these reforms will not be realized for several years, the cancer care community should anticipate changes in the short-term related to quality reporting and measurement, health care delivery systems and payment structures. They also outline what reforms mean for cancer-specific interests such as hospital re-admissions, prevention services, molecular diagnostics, clinical trials and professional education and call on cancer care providers to  engage in ongoing discussions about quality reporting and care delivery.   

Read the full article in CANCER.

MD Anderson's Institute for Cancer Care Excellence, created in 2009, has been at the forefront of cancer patient care, exploring outcomes, delivery and cost of multidisciplinary care but there is much work to do. Led by Thomas W. Burke, M.D., executive vice president and physician-in-chief; Thomas W. Feeley, M.D., vice president for medical operations and head of the Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and Ron S. Walters, M.D., associate vice president for medical operations and informatics, the Institute for Cancer Care Excellence will play a crucial role at MD Anderson in developing the next generation of cancer care delivery systems, keeping patients the focus of care, enhancing safety and delivering care at a reasonable cost.