Title : A Review of the Scientific Literature on the Cost-Effectiveness of High-Volume Hospital’s Surgical Care of Pancreatic Cancer Patients
Abstract:
Pancreatic cancer is a notoriously costly and deadly form of cancer. Many types of treatment centers exist for patients to seek care from, including high volume centers which have shown promise to provide the highest quality of care. While it may be true that this type of center provides the best care it is unclear if that care is cost-effective. Studies in the US have confirmed that high-volume hospitals do provide higher quality of care but have shown inconsistencies in the cost-effectiveness of that care.1 Other international studies, like those from Finland have shown that high-volume centers had lower mortality and lower costs than low-volume centers.2 This paper thus seeks to review the current scientific literature to better understand if high-volume centers are cost-effective in delivering care internationally and in the US.
