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Problem of doctors referring patients to radiation clinics that they own

Doctors Who ‘Self-Refer’ to Radiation Clinics Add to Patients’ Burden: Study
In Texas, prostate cancer patients had to travel longer distances to use physician-affiliated center   Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) — The practice of referring a cancer patient to a radiation clinic with links to the referring doctor can be difficult for patients, a new study finds.

The study focused on urologists in Texas. It found that the practice caused some men with prostate cancer to travel more than three times farther to receive the treatment they needed.
The researchers said the findings call into question this practice, known as physician self-referral, and highlight concerns about the increase in urology-owned radiation oncology practices.
“Travel time to cancer care centers is crucial, especially for older men with advanced disease, because external radiation therapy often requires daily treatment for six to eight weeks,” Dr. Colleen Lawton, president-elect of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, said in a   news release from the organization. …..

August 23, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA