The breakthroughs in cutting-edge medical technologies for cancer care are remarkable. It seems like every day we are reading about ground-breaking progress that can change the fundamental premise of medical care delivery. Wearable technology, molecular testing and point-of-care devices promise hospital-level care at home, but established technologies like robotic surgery and immuno-therapy are still unaffordable for many. Historically, integrating these innovations into clinical practice poses challenges due to the traditionally slow adoption rates in healthcare systems. This lag in implementation can delay the benefits these technologies offer to patients and oncology programs, with data showing disruptive technologies can often take decades to enter routine patient care.
In light of the rapid growth of data and the influx of novel technologies, there is a pressing question: are cancer care programs equipped to keep up with these advancements? Is the conventional approach to improving care (a lengthy validation process and clinical trials to ensure safety) appropriate? Across the world, clinicians across the world are keen to address the elephant in the room: how do we give patients the benefit of these new technologies without compromising on safety and driving up already spiraling healthcare costs?
