Delays in treatment raise concerns about late-stage illnesses, but employee plans could offset risks
Mental wellbeing and post-pandemic resilience have been the main topics of discussion regarding employee health for the previous two years.
However, there is also what some are referring to as a "shadow pandemic" of deadly acute and chronic illnesses affecting businesses -- including cancer.
As noted in a blog post by Telus Healthcare, the pandemic has caused testing, diagnostic, and treatment delays that could last for months or years. Cancer is the number one killer in Canada. In fact, 68% of sizable businesses anticipate a rise in the number of plan participants receiving late-stage cancer diagnoses.
In Canada, more than 220,000 people receive a cancer diagnosis each year. In their lifetimes, about 40% of people will develop some kind of cancer, and 25% of those people will pass away from it. By 2030, new diagnoses are predicted to increase by around 40% as the country’s population ages.
Not only are plan sponsors concerned about a rise in late-stage cancers, but doctors are also noting that patients are arriving with more advanced disease. Forty-eight per cent of plan members admit to delaying treatment because of a variety of ailments during the epidemic.
Delays in seeking treatment were most prevalent among caregivers, with 64% reporting they had waited, as well as among those under stress (63%) and those with poor health (58%).
The epidemic, according to roughly a quarter of Canadian cancer patients, caused a delay in diagnosis, and nearly one in five said there was a delay between diagnosis and treatment. Nearly half of individuals receiving treatment experienced cancelled or rescheduled appointments.
A four-week delay in treatment, according to the Canadian Cancer Society, increases the risk of death by 10%. For those who survive, the majority will face considerable physical and emotional difficulties after their treatment, necessitating assistance.
Delays in diagnosis and treatment may have a cumulative effect on plan sponsors as bottlenecks drag on. In Ontario, for instance, there are 700,000 missed or postponed MRIs and CT scans among the more than 16 million surgeries, diagnostic tests, screenings, and other treatments that need to be done.
Plan sponsors have the chance to support patients with creative benefits as healthcare professionals seek to clear backlogs amid resurgences of COVID-19 infections.
Virtual care has been a fruitful addition to the services offered by many employers.
Patient utilization has skyrocketed, which is not surprising given that 76% of plan sponsors increased their virtual care coverage during the pandemic. Forty-three per cent of plan members say they have used virtual care in the last two years, and this percentage is greater for those who are chronically ill (51%) or in poor health (57%).
A contemporary employee assistance program (EAP) can provide support for the psychological, emotional, and financial effects of the disease. Every person's experience with cancer is different. EAPs, a previously underutilized benefit, had a 40% spike in usage during the pandemic, according to plan sponsors with EAPs.
When family doctors, specialists, or urgent care facilities are unable to give immediate assistance, plan members can benefit from using virtual healthcare, whether for physical, mental, or pharmaceutical requirements.
