In recent years, home cancer treatments have gained momentum. A new study suggests that 100% of patients are satisfied with cancer treatment at home, with almost two-thirds prefering it over clinical care.
Researchers analysed patients who enrolled in the Mayo Clinic's barriers beyond cancer care program and found that patients in recent analyses slightly preferred over clinical care. Participants gave an average score of 9.36 for home cancer care out of 10 points possible in the consumer assessment of the Health Provider and Systems Cancer Care Survey, compared to 9.54 for cancer treatment in clinical practice.
“Traditional cancer therapy is primarily provided in clinical settings and places logistical, emotional and financial burdens, especially on rural and underserved patients,” the study authors wrote. “International studies have demonstrated the safety of home chemotherapy, but no randomized US trials have evaluated this approach.”
Researchers funded by Mayo Clinic looked at 200 adult patients receiving chemotherapy or hormone therapy at Mayo Clinic, Florida.
Patients were randomly selected to receive either 24 weeks of home care or intra-clinical care and 16 weeks of home care. Eight weeks later, 26 patients from each group were enrolled in the study, with 36 starting treatment.
Patients scored highly on both home and intra-clinical cancer care, with 73% preferring home care, 18% having no preference, and 9% preferring in-clinical care.
Industry experts have hypothesized that advances in home hospitals could make home cancer care more common in 2025. Mayo Clinic is not the only organization that provides care to cancer patients in their homes. Synergy HomeCare and Reimagine Care are also beginning to provide care at their patients' homes.
In April, Reimagine Care launched MedStar Health's home cancer care pilot.
“There's this demand for cancer treatment,” Nardi, CEO of Reimagine Care, previously told Home Health Care News. “On the supply side, this gap between supply and demand is growing as oncologists and burnout is already occurring and the RNS is lacking leaving the workforce, and we can support 98% of patients on cancer journeys that occur outside the clinic.
