Cost Components of Cancer Treatment

Most cancer patients and their families are not only concerned about chances of survival, they are also concerned about the cost of expensive cancer treatment and whether they will be able to afford it or not. Yes, cancer treatment is expensive but we at Dharamshila Hospital And Research Centre, try our best to avoid unnecessary procedures and hospitalization to cut down cancer treatment costs. Patients must understand that Cancer treatment has various components which have been broadly classified as primary cost and secondary costs as under :

Primary costs include ….

• Diagnostic work up (Lab and Radiology investigation to confirm cancer)
• Staging work up (MRI, CT, PET CT, Bone scans etc. to find out the stage of the disease.
• Modalities of treatment (Surgery, Radiation, Chemotherapy, Supportive Therapy, Rehabilitation)
• Hospitalization Cost (Super Deluxe, Deluxe, Single, Double Room, ICU Admission)
• Need for investigations and treatment of other associated diseases by other specialists / superspecialists.
• Need for isolation and barrier nursing, growth factors, blood, blood components, parenteral nutrition, immunosuppressants, antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral and other drugs and disposables.

Secondary costs include

• To and fro transportation costs.
• Cost of staying in Delhi for observation / recovery before getting the stitches removed after surgery (Guest House / Hotel / Hospital)
• Cost of to and fro travel / staying in Delhi during mandatory period required for starting second modality of treatment e.g. Radiation
• Additional cost of hospitalization for the period of radiotherapy for non-ambulatory patients.
• Cost of to and fro travel, for each chemotherapy cycle or cost of staying in Delhi in between the chemotherapy cycles.
• Cost of food, boarding and lodging of attendants of patients.
• Cost of palliative therapy.
• Some other unforeseen expenses.

How is Dharamshila Hospital trying to cut down unnecessary treatment costs :-

Consultation Fees : Most cancer patients prefer to take 2 – 3 opinion from different cancer experts and waste time, money, energy which is being saved at Dharamshila Hospital by offering collective opinion of 8 – 10 cancer experts, onco-pathologists, radiologists and other allied experts during TUMOUR BOARD EVALUATION by spending single consultation fee.

Diagnostic work up : Inspite of having world class diagnostic technologies and highly acclaimed, respected and awarded radiologists and pathologists, who will give accurate and precise diagnosis, our charges for diagnostics are most competitive and we don’t  believe in doing unnecessary investigations which have no relevance to deciding the modality of cancer treatment.

Modalities of Treatment : Since every patient is given a tailor made treatment plan about 1st modality of treatment and if required second / third modality of treatment patient save costs of unnecessary surgeries and hospitalization.

Saving Radiotherapy Costs : Instead of admitting outstation patients for six weeks for radiation, we advise them to stay at our affordable guest house to save the hospitalization cost.

Saving Surgery Costs :  Highly trained, competent and experienced surgical oncologists ensure that patients are admitted for minimal days. Strict infection control standards are followed to prevent infections / complications and thus prevent sufferings, prolonged hospitalization and cost of drugs and disposables required to treat infections and complications of surgery.

Saving Chemotherapy Costs : Most suited and internationally approved chemotherapy drugs are given in Day care / OPD to prevent unnecessary hospitalization costs. Outstation patients can stay at our affordable guest house.

Hospitalization Cost : We have all category of rooms i.e. VIP Suite,VIP rooms, Super Deluxe, Deluxe, Semi Deluxe, Single, Double, Semi Paying, Economy, Day Care and Indigent beds to cater all sections of the society.

Counselling of families : All accompanying family members are counselled, motivated and taught how to prevent cancer, How to do monthly self-examination to detect cancer at an early stage and need for Annual Cancer Screening of high risk group people specially after the age of 40 years.

Insurance : People are counselled to get insurance cover to save cost of treatment.