Development of the Oncology Opportunity Cost Assessment Tool

Thomas Jefferson University40 enrolled

Overview

This study develops and tests an instrument to measure opportunity costs called the Oncology Opportunity Cost Assessment Tool (OOCAT) in cancer patients. Patients experience significant costs, both direct financial as well as indirect costs, associated with seeking cancer treatment. While the direct financial impact of care on patients is receiving increased attention, other important consequences, such as opportunity cost, remain largely unmeasured. Opportunity cost is an economics term that refers to the loss of potential benefits from other options when one option is chosen - if resources are used for one purpose, they are no longer available for the next best option. The information and knowledge gained from this study may help researchers develop the OOCAT, which may allow them to understand the opportunity cost of treatment for each patient. The OOCAT may then be used to determine not just the best medications for patients, but also the best comprehensive treatment plan that will allow them to get the right treatment in the right place at the right time.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm Malignant Solid Neoplasm

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Treated for cancer at one of the 3 participating sites (Jefferson Center City, Jefferson Methodist Hospital, Jefferson Abington) * English speaking * Able to attend and participate in a focus group Exclusion Criteria: * Treated at a Jefferson site other than the ones mentioned * Non-English Speaking

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Patient-level opportunity costs associated with oncology care

Patient-identified themes that contribute to opportunity cost will be generated via patient focus groups

Time frame: 1 Day of Interview

Development of the Oncology Opportunity Cost Assessment Tool (OOCAT)

Will organize themes into domains and will generate items representing each of the themes for inclusion in an instrument designed to measure patient opportunity cost of seeking care. Will perform cognitive interviews with a random sampling of patients from the cancer center to test initial instrument items to ensure content validity and clarity of each item.

Time frame: 1 Day of Interview

Implementation of OOCAT

Will test the instrument as developed with patients receiving oncology care across the Jefferson Health System to gather preliminary data informing the reliability of the scale to measure opportunity cost of seeking care.

Time frame: 1 Day of OOCAT administration