Consequences of Compromised Health Care
This week, Peter Kafka considers how the constraints on providing health care during the pandemic may have long term consequences.
As an editorial note, we now see how discouraging PSA testing has come back to haunt us. The American Cancer Society projections for new prostate cancer cases in 2021 have leapt 30% from 2020 to 2021 reaching ca. 249,000. Ancan puts it down largely to built-up backlog due to lack of testing. (rd)
As I sit down to compose this reminder notice for our upcoming meeting, I am very much aware that here in the USA this weekend we will probably reach the milestone of half a million recorded deaths from Covid-19 in the year since the first deaths were reported. Regardless of how you might process numbers such as this, one thing for sure is that this Pandemic has flipped much of our healthcare system on its head and that impacts all of us. And of course, this is not only true in the US, but throughout the world.
Just the other day, “I heard it through the grapevine… that my medical oncologist (for the past 6-1/2 years) would no longer be mine”. Yes, the thriving practice that he was such an integral part of began losing so much money this past year that he had to depart for his own financial security. Many independent medical practices are struggling as are hospitals that depended upon elective surgery and emergency room visits to remain financially viable. People just aren’t going to the doctor the way they used to in 2019.
Men were notorious for avoiding doctors even before this pandemic. But now it is amplified. For those that are healthy and young the impact is minimal. But for those who are older and have increased risk of serious illness and disease such as cancer, the impact on both men and women is considerably higher. Statistics are now rolling in comparing the diagnosed incidence of various cancers in 2020 to the totals of 2019 BC (Before Covid). The difference is substantial and not just a statistical fluke. Someone might take this to mean, “Great, cancer rates are dropping”! But unfortunately, this is not the case. Men and women are forgoing routine screening and testing for cancer for fear of going to hospitals, clinics and doctors.
Unfortunately, the implication is that in the months and years ahead there may well be a significant rise in the number of cancer cases that have advanced to a more serious metastatic stage because of a decline in early detection and early treatment. While the incidence of seasonal flu has slowed way down in this age of Covid-19, prostate cancer as well as other cancers and serious illness are still chugging along at the same clip, but just not being diagnosed. So, I think I will leave it there for you to draw your own inferences. If it were me, I would encourage anyone I know not to ignore symptoms and concerns about their health even if it is more difficult to get medical help.