September 13, 2013 — The Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies issued its report, “Delivering High-Quality Cancer Care: Charting a News Course for a System in Crisis.” The 315-page report, produced by a 17-member committee of cancer care leaders, concludes that the nation’s “cancer care delivery system is in crisis. Care is not patient-centered, many patients do not receive palliative care to manage their symptoms and side effects from treatment, and decisions about care often are not based on the latest scientific evidence.” In addition, the report details a six-part framework for improving the quality of cancer care, improving “the quality of life and outcomes for people facing a cancer diagnosis.”
This IOM report was sponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) along with AARP, the American Cancer Society, the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the California Healthcare Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, LIVESTRONG, the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the Oncology Nursing Society, and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. ASTRO’s Clinical Affairs and Quality Committee Chair James A. Hayman, M.D., served on the IOM committee that authored the report.
The Institute of Medicine serves as adviser to the nation to improve health. Established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine provides independent, objective, evidence-based advice to policy makers, health professionals, the private sector and the public.
For more information: www.astro.org
