Polarization of cancer patient management

Ku Sang Kim

doi:10.5124/jkma.2017.60.3.223

J Korean Med Assoc > Volume 60(3); 2017 > Article

Kim: Polarization of cancer patient management

Focused issue of This Month

The light and shade of the cancer care system in Korea

Journal of the Korean Medical Association 2017; 60(3): 223-227.

Published online: March 23, 2017

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2017.60.3.223

Polarization of cancer patient management

Ku Sang Kim, MD

Breast-Thyroid Center, Ulsan City Hospital, Ulsan City Hospital Group, Ulsan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Ku Sang Kim. ideakims@gmail.com

Received January 12, 2017 Accepted January 28, 2017

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

The polarization of cancer patient management is rooted in aspects of the Korean health care system, so a solution to this problem should be introduced on the basis of systemic guidelines that shape national policy. Strengthening the capacity of regional cancer centers by establishing organizations of large-scale cancer hospitals, cancer rehabilitation hospitals, and local primary care clinics could be another approach to solving this problem. Large-scale cancer hospitals should pay attention to patient education regarding life after cancer treatment and should provide close assistance to patients. Cancer rehabilitation hospitals should focus on cancer rehabilitation, not unproven therapies. The systematic cooperation of large-scale cancer hospitals, cancer rehabilitation hospitals, and local primary care clinics is of the utmost important for patients.

Neoplasms; Hospitals; Rehabilitation; Delivery of health care

Acknowledgement

I thank Juyeon Hong in Dr. Kim's Clinic, Sung Eun Hwang in Gaeun Hospital, Jae Yang Lim in Dr.Lim's Breast Clinic, Sungwoon Im in Abnova Korea, Tae Guk Ha in Pogeunhanmam Hospital, Editorial Committee in Korean Society of Surgical Oncology, and Korean Breast Cancer Survivorship Research Group for their assistance of excellent comments.

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