I came across this paper which brought some salient points about the future of rad onc that concerns me. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18513631
In summary, it details how radiation oncologists have changed from their historical role as complete oncologists to becoming a "one-trick pony" with just a single modality for treatment. Being at the mercy of other doctor's referrals, there is a huge growth in surgeons controlling radiation therapy (i.e. neurosurgeons and urology) where they have a "token radiation oncologist" or perhaps none at all. In multidisciplinary practices, radoncs might end up working for medoncs who have now taken the baton as the "complete oncologist."
It seems like the authors feel that radonc's faustian pact with technology will make radonc irrelevant in the future given the trend for more automation that make human input less and less important. Whereas surgeons in the past were unable to administer radiation due to the vast amount of knowledge required about the side effects and the correct dose, modern technology has now made it much easier for surgeons to do the radiation therapy with the aid of ever increasing automation and ease of use.
I was wondering what you guys thought about this article and if radonc is in as a precarious position as the authors make it seem. If radonc takes a more assertive role in the administration of radiation therapy and if stark laws are enforced more vigilently, will this be enough to stave off threats that other specialties are posing? Or will there be a day of reckoning to come?
In summary, it details how radiation oncologists have changed from their historical role as complete oncologists to becoming a "one-trick pony" with just a single modality for treatment. Being at the mercy of other doctor's referrals, there is a huge growth in surgeons controlling radiation therapy (i.e. neurosurgeons and urology) where they have a "token radiation oncologist" or perhaps none at all. In multidisciplinary practices, radoncs might end up working for medoncs who have now taken the baton as the "complete oncologist."
It seems like the authors feel that radonc's faustian pact with technology will make radonc irrelevant in the future given the trend for more automation that make human input less and less important. Whereas surgeons in the past were unable to administer radiation due to the vast amount of knowledge required about the side effects and the correct dose, modern technology has now made it much easier for surgeons to do the radiation therapy with the aid of ever increasing automation and ease of use.
I was wondering what you guys thought about this article and if radonc is in as a precarious position as the authors make it seem. If radonc takes a more assertive role in the administration of radiation therapy and if stark laws are enforced more vigilently, will this be enough to stave off threats that other specialties are posing? Or will there be a day of reckoning to come?