Proton Beam Therapy is a hot topic in the hospital community. There isn’t a hospital that isn’t trying to find a way to get into this business or any other new leading clinical therapy.
Proton Beam Therapy is an alternative treatment to IMRT radiation therapy for certain types of cancer. It’s preferred because of its ability to specifically target tumors, minimizing the dose or radiation that surrounding healthy tissue receives.
Here are 3 helpful facts about Proton Beam Therapy:
- It’s still considered cutting-edge technology and exceedingly rare –While there are only 15 centers in operation, there are another 10 under construction with many more to come. Backed by leading providers such as the Mayo Clinic, the demand for this technology is only going to grow.
- This is a MAJOR expense for hospitals – With a starting cost of $150 million, Proton Beam Treatment Centers represent a huge investment and also a financial risk to hospitals. One hospital reported that the cost of its Proton Beam Treatment Center was 40 times the cost of a center delivering conventional radiation therapy. Reimbursements, however, don’t yet come close to offsetting the increased cost of care delivery.
- Uncertain clinical efficacy – The biggest question with Proton Beam Therapy is whether or not it provides sufficient clinical benefits over traditional radiation treatments. Because it is new and access is still relatively limited, the data on its cost and clinical efficacy is still not complete.
We hope that you find this information helpful and interesting!
