Oncology unit juggles cost with increased demand

With an increasing demand on its oncology services, Frere Hospital has increased its budget and resources while also trying to tighten its belt. 

Hospital CEO Dr Rolene Wagner said in the last financial year the hospital had treated 1038 in-patients in the unit who stayed 11988 days.

“This is 49% more than 10 years ago,” Wagner said, referring to the hospital’s adult oncology services.

In the same financial year, they serviced 59% more out-patients compared with two years before.

Wagner said the hospital allocated approximately R31.7-million a year to oncology services.

“To meet the increased demand for oncology services, the department of health has invested R68.6-million in state-of-the-art, high-end technology at Frere Hospital for cancer management,” she said.

In addition, adult chemotherapeutic drugs were increased by 27%, other drugs for the treatment of adult cancer patients saw a 31% increase and blood products used for cancer treatment in both adults and children went up 31% as well.

In order to maintain good service delivery, Wagner said they had to work on ways of increasing income streams, continuing with cost-saving project initiatives, decreasing inefficiencies, making appropriate investments, strengthening collaborations, and sticking to the national essential medicines list as recommended for oncology at a tertiary hospital level.

However, one of the hospital’s elderly patients seems to believe his treatment was cut due to lack of funds.

Gustar van Vuuren, 66, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January 2014 and was put on a hormone injection as treatment, which helped with his condition.

He claims that he was told there was nothing else they could provide him with and that the injection every three months was the only solution as he was not fit to undergo radiation, chemotherapy or surgery.

“I got my last injection this January. They don’t have any more money, they told me there are no funds.

“In between, I’m taking Tamsul tablets which help, and they can’t even prescribe that for me. I have to buy it,” he said.

Van Vuuren has visited the hospital three times since his last injection and each time he has been told that surgery is now his best option.

“They said the cancer had gone to the liver, the kidney and up my spine.

“I fear that when they operate the cancer is going to spread. My uncle had prostate cancer and he died within days of operating.

“I was doing extremely well on the injections. These injections cost R5000 every three months. I can’t afford that, I’m retired,” he said.

Wagner said Van Vuuren had two treatment options upon diagnosis, the drug or surgery.

“The projected cost of patients commenced on this specific drug therapy was 3.8% of the total Frere Hospital budget for medicines during 2014-15,” she said.

“Since Van Vuuren was initiated on the trial of drug therapy, the national Department of Health reviewed ... the drug therapy versus surgery; the outcome of this review was that surgery is the preferred cost-effective option.”