ABSTRACT
Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only known curative therapy for many patients with life-threatening hematologic and oncologic diseases. It is estimated that the National Marrow Donor Program(®) (NMDP) will facilitate 10,000 transplants by 2015, double the current number. To better understand the existing personnel and center infrastructure for HCT in the country and to address system capacity challenges to the future growth of HCT, the NMDP convened a diverse group of stakeholders and thought leaders representing HCT physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, other healthcare providers, HCT program directors, hospital administrators, payors, and professional organizations. Working groups were formed to identify: capacity issues because of shortages in human resources, structural constraints, and patient access barriers including diversity and healthcare disparity challenges; recommendations to address challenges; and stakeholders to engage. This report details the deliberations and recommendations of a national symposium, "Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in 2020: A Health Care Resource and Infrastructure Assessment," held in September 2010.
Subject(s)
Bone Marrow , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , National Health Programs , Tissue Donors , Congresses as Topic , Female , Humans , Male , Neoplasms/therapy , United StatesABSTRACT
The care of children in the U.S. with life-limiting illnesses is inadequate. Misallocated resources, flawed assumptions and models of care, and a lack of appropriate professional education foster a costly, inefficient system that falls short of its true potential. This article details the evolution of a regional, shared approach to address these issues, the District of Columbia Pediatric Palliative Care Collaboration (DCPPCC), and includes its evolution, preliminary clinical results, and assessment of barriers encountered.
