Physician experience and challenges obtaining unfunded oral chemotherapy across Canada.

Authors

null

D. Han

St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada

D. Han , S. Hogeveen , M. Trinkaus , M. Mamdani , S. R. Berry , R. W. Jang , J. Hoch , C. E. Simmons

Organizations

St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, University of Toronto, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada

Research Funding

No funding sources reported

Background: Previous studies have shown hematologists and medical oncologists may not accept the financial limits set by governing agencies on access to oral chemotherapy for their patients. This requires increased time and effort on the clinician’s part to obtain funding. We captured physicians’ perceptions of barriers to obtaining unfunded chemotherapies and methods used to overcome these barriers. Methods: A total of 640 medical oncologists and hematologists were surveyed using a web-based survey tool. A thirteen-item survey was designed to assess the practice type along with time spent and methods used on obtaining unfunded oral chemotherapy. Results: Of the 640 invitees, 568 were delivered and 168 responded,(response rate 30%). 91 respondents were medical oncologists, 44 were hematologists and 33 treated both solid and non-solid malignancies. 65% of physicians spent an average of 1-4 hours obtaining funding for oral drugs for patients per week. 62% indicated their institution has a drug access coordinator (DAC). Having a DAC did not impact the proportion of physicians spending >4 hrs/ week accessing oral drugs (38% vs 29%, p=NS). To overcome barriers to funding, physicians’ enrolled patients on clinical trials (91%), used compassionate access programs (96%) or special request forms to government (92%). Other methods included writing false claims on forms to fit funding criteria for a drug (36%) or use of leftover drug supplies (36%). The majority of physicians felt that their inability to obtain unfunded medications for their patients has negatively impacted patients’ clinical outcomes (56%) and psychosocial quality of life (74%). Of all respondents, only 28% of physicians contacted their governing body with concerns of funding for oral chemotherapy. Conclusions: Practicing hematologists and medical oncologists in Canada use numerous methods to obtain unfunded oral chemotherapies, including lying on access forms. Overall, the majority of physicians spend 1-4 hours a week on obtaining funding; this did not differ for physicians with or without a DAC at their practice. Despite the challenges in accessing oral chemotherapies, most physicians have not contacted governing bodies for legislative change.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2011 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Publication Only

Session Title

Publication Only

Track

Health Services Research

Sub Track

Practice Management/Professional Issues

Citation

J Clin Oncol 29: 2011 (suppl; abstr e16583)

Abstract #

e16583

Abstract Disclosures

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