ACCC Members Survey Results Show Cost Cutting

The Association of Community Cancer Centers’ annual members’ survey, “Cancer Care Trends in Community Cancer Centers”, reveal cost cutting measures and delays in large expenditures in weathering the economic recession.  In a press release posted July 15, 2010, the ACCC reports their key findings, including the following:

• Majority of respondents have enacted hiring freezes, while smaller percentages have actually reduced staff and cut services.  Despite such cost-cutting measures, 78% report, “…their cancer program’s financial status as good or very good,” with only 7% responding that it is “poor”.
• Large capital equipment purchases represent a mixed bag.  While such big ticket purchases as linear accelerators and ultrasound imaging machines have been delayed, some equipment and cancer service line offerings such as IMRT and robotic surgical systems have increased over last year.
• More patients are in need of financial assistance in affording meds, co-pays and transportation.  And, an overwhelming 73% of respondents are seeing an increase in uninsured and underinsured patients.
• Consolidation in hospitals, cancer centers and oncology physician practices is on the rise.
• Fewer private practice oncologists are in contractual relationships with cancer centers, as many physicians opt to be employees of a hospital.
• Use of EMRs jumped by 21 percentage points in one year, and many providers use more than one EMR software program.
• Oral chemotherapeutic agent use is low, up only 3 percentage points over the previous year.