Abstract
Hypothesis
Good patient care, research and education should be so inextricably linked that each should drive the other towards improvements in quality of care, innovation and discovery.
Discussion
Each element of good clinical cancer care, including specialisation, multidisciplinary management, audit and systematic organisation, provides a powerful stimulus to research. The qualities required for good research inevitably enhance educational activity. High quality in education and training are essential in improving cancer care. Obstacles to good medical care are identified and the importance of supporting doctors is emphasised. The question of permanent staff-grade medical appointments or the grade of physician assistants is raised. Challenges to university-based and hospital-based research are outlined. Attention is drawn to issues concerning the training of cancer specialists, particularly in surgical oncology.
Conclusion
Good patient care stimulates research, research drives educational activity and education improves care. Interaction of these elements of medicine and science constitutes an interdependent upward spiral towards excellence.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyle P, Levin B, International Agency for Research on Cancer (2008) World Cancer Report 2008. IARC Press, Lyon, France, p 9
Boyle P (2011) Demographic changes in Europe and the burden of chronic care. http://www.ehfg.org.fileadmin/ehfgF3-S2Boylepdf. Accessed 10 Oct 2013
Luft HS, Bunker JP, Enthoven AC (1979) Should operations be regionalized? The empirical relation between surgical volume and mortality. N Engl J Med 301:1364–1369
Higgins JR (2013) The establishment of hospital groups as a transition to independent hospital trusts. Report to the Minister of Health. http://www.dohc.ie/publications/pdf/IndHosp.trusts. Accessed 10 Oct 2013
Tallis R (2004) Hippocratic oaths: medicine and its discontents. Atlantic books, London, p 3
Johnson C (2005) Unlearning. Personal view. BMJ 331(7518):703
Chantler C (1999) The role and education of doctors in the delivery of health care. Lancet 353(9159):1178–1181
Universitas 21 Working Party on University-Healthcare Systems Interaction (2001) The interactions between universities and hospitals: problems and possibilities. http://www.u21health.org/files/U21UNI~PDF. Accessed 10 Oct 2013
O’Higgins N (2004) The world federation of surgical oncology societies: the global mission. J Surg Oncol 87:109–115
O’Higgins N (1995) Towards a high standard of surgical oncology throughout Europe. Eur J Cancer 31A(Suppl 6):S22–S24
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
N. O’Higgins, Chairman University of Limerick Hospitals Board.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
O’Higgins, N. Advancing cancer care: the quality spiral. Ir J Med Sci 183, 7–13 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-013-1029-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-013-1029-4