Cancer Care Delivery Research

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Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) is a multidisciplinary science that seeks to improve clinical outcomes and patient well-being by intervening on patient, clinician, and organizational factors that influence care delivery.

CCDR generates evidence that can be used to improve clinical practice patterns as well as develop and test promising interventions within the health care delivery system. It also supports development of new and generalizable knowledge about the effectiveness, acceptability, cost, optimal delivery mode, and causal mechanisms that influence outcomes and affect the value of cancer care across diverse settings and populations. The goal of CCDR is evidence-based practice transformation.

Integrating CCDR within NCORP provides the ability to collect primary data on current delivery practices and initiate interventions in non-academic settings; look across a mix of practice models and heterogeneous populations; and follow patients from time of diagnosis through treatment and survivorship.

In this video, Philip J. Stella, M.D., principal investigator of the Michigan Cancer Research Consortium NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) describes how cancer care delivery research works to find the best way to care for patients.

Source: www.ncorp.cancer.gov

Some Questions to Ask if You’re Offered a Clinical Trial

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Dr and patient discuss cancer clinical trialIf you are offered a clinical trial, feel free to ask any questions or bring up any issues concerning the trial at any time. The following suggestions may give you some ideas as you think about your own questions.

The study

  • What is the purpose of the study?
  • Why do researchers think the approach may be effective?
  • Who will fund the study?
  • Who has reviewed and approved the study?
  • How are study results and safety of participants being checked?
  • How long will the study last?
  • What will my responsibilities be if I participate?

Possible risks and benefits

  • What are my possible short-term benefits?
  • What are my possible long-term benefits?
  • What are my short-term risks, such as side effects?
  • What are my possible long-term risks?
  • What other options do people with my disease have?
  • How do the possible risks and benefits of this trial compare with those options?

Participation and care

  • What kinds of therapies, procedures and /or tests will I have during the trial?
  • Will they hurt, and if so, for how long?
  • How do the tests in the study compare with those I would have outside of the trial?
  • Will I be able to take my regular medications while in the clinical trial?
  • Where will I have my medical care?
  • Who will be in charge of my care?

Personal issues

  • How could being in this study affect my daily life?
  • Can I talk to other people in the study?

Cost issues

  • Will I have to pay for any part of the trial such as tests or the study drug?
  • If so, what will the charges likely be?
  • What is my health insurance likely to cover?
  • Who can help answer any questions from my insurance company or health plan?
  • Will there be any travel or child care costs that I need to consider while I am in the trial?

Tips for asking your doctor about trials

  • Consider taking a family member or friend along, for support and for help in asking questions or recording answers.
  • Plan ahead what to ask — but don’t hesitate to ask any new questions you think of while you’re there.
  • Write down your questions in advance, to make sure you remember to ask them all.
  • Write down the answers, so that you can review them whenever you want.
  • Ask about bringing a tape recorder to make a taped record of what’s said (even if you write down answers).

Source: www.cancer.gov