Cost-effectiveness of follow-up services for childhood cancer survivors outside the cancer setting.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide a brief review of literature published since January 2012 on the subject of the cost-effectiveness of follow-up services for childhood cancer survivors. A pragmatic literature review was carried out to identify relevant literature. RECENT
FINDINGS: There is very little literature or evidence around the cost-effectiveness of follow-up services for the survivors of childhood cancer. The literature that is partially relevant focuses on the need for follow-up services to change to allow a more risk-based, personalized approach for survivors. There are implications in these changes for the costs and effectiveness of services. Some current literature also focuses on the economic impact of childhood cancer and treatment on the individual.
SUMMARY: There is considerable interest in understanding whether innovative approaches to follow-up care are cost-effective. There is little evidence currently but new models of care imply a potential shift in the resources required from the hospital setting to care provided outside hospitals. The rapid growth in numbers of survivors means that traditional hospital-based follow-up services will continue to experience high demand so it is important that new models of care are cost-effective.