Study Finds Access to High-Quality Cancer Care Eliminates Racial Disparities in Survival

For the past two decades, the National Cancer Institute has documented a persistent racial disparity in colon cancer survival rates in the United States. Now, a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine shows that more equitable delivery of evidence-based care can close this gap. Furthermore, the investigators found that evidence-based care was delivered at higher rates within integrated health-care organizations - those in which one organization provides all the patient's health-care services, hospital care and insurance.

"The paper's findings go a long way in reinforcing the notion that it's not just about access to care, but it's about access to high-quality care. And for colon cancer care, one of the tenets for high-quality care would be well-coordinated care," said Sandra Wong, MD, associate professor of surgery at the University of Michigan. "We know it's not just about getting insurance coverage, but actually getting people into health-care systems that coordinate cancer care well."