COSA 2014* Barriers and access to cancer care: Where does ethics fit? (#136)
Access to care is central to the performance evaluations of health care systems throughout the world. In countries with sufficient resources, access to health care services for citizens is thought to be an important element of a just society. This issue of access becomes increasingly important in oncology as treatments are more effective and there is greater understanding of the impact of the disease and its treatment on the patient, family and community. During this session, the components that comprise an assessment of true access will be reviewed with a focus on a patient-centered approach to care that includes availability, appropriateness, acceptability and affordability. The important ethical obligation of focusing on the beneficiaries of needed services, rather than on the services per se, and the barriers and facilitators to actually receiving these services will be discussed. In addition, the ethical implications of access to care for the health care profession and society as a whole will be highlighted.
