Cancer Specialties - Case Study
For people suffering through skin cancer, treatment options and patient appointment scheduling can be a terrible pain.
For example for a single surgery removing one patch of skin cancer sells (say from the shoulder or neck, this could mean two visits with a surgeon with two labs including lab study results services which understand the skin cancer cell types and borders of affected areas.
There is also the recurring care needed to identify new skin cancer areas that are a threat and then planning surgery for those which might require a Dermatologist to call the targets with a sharpie and draw areas of concern, then a different specialty to identify optimal treatment type for said affected area.
If these were available say in the same office or even same physician it is possibly an opportunity to gain 2x to 10x treatment efficiency by simplifying the interactions between multiple people and ideally perform the equivalent of one stop shopping defined by constraints on specialists, networks, location, and patient needs related to conditions.
In the Case Study below I begin to look at this for treatments in MN.
Specialties
Llama input on treatments:
Prompt: Create a ten line outline of what specialties are needed for different skin cancer treatments, skin cancer types and treatment invasiveness and cost with markdown outline explaining it with laymans terms and emojis but also cover the ICD10 and ICD11 related codes descriptions and how to submit PA and claims for the services and labs required for the treatments.
Response from Llama 7b:
Running client https://api-inference.huggingface.co/models/meta-llama/Llama-2-7b-chat-hf
*Skin Cancer Treatment Specialties:
Dermatologist: Diagnose and treat skin cancers, including biopsies and surgical excision. Cost:
150
β
150β300 per visit.
π₯
Surgical Oncologist: Remove skin cancers through surgery, including Mohs surgery. Cost:
500
β
500β1,000 per procedure.
π
Radiation Oncologist: Use radiation therapy to treat skin cancers, including external beam radiation and brachytherapy. Cost:
1
,
000
β
1,000β3,000 per treatment.
π‘
Medical Oncologist: Use chemotherapy to treat skin cancers, including topical and systemic treatments. Cost:
1
,
000
β
1,000β3,000 per treatment.
π
Skin Cancer Types:
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): Most common type of skin cancer, usually appears as a bump or nodule on the skin. Cost:
100
β
100β500 per treatment.
ποΈ
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC): Second most common type of skin cancer, can appear as a firm, flat, or raised bump on the skin. Cost:
200
β
200β1,000 per treatment.
ποΈ
Melanoma: Least common but most aggressive type of skin cancer, often appears as a mole that changes in size, shape, or color. Cost:
500
β
500β2,000 per treatment.
π
Treatment Invasiveness and Cost:
Minimally Invasive: Least invasive treatment, usually involves a local anesthetic and minimal scarring. Cost:
100
β
100β500 per treatment.
π
Moderately Invasive: Requires general anesthesia and may result in more scarring. Cost:
500
β
500β2,000 per*
Response from GPT4:
Skin Cancer Treatments Outline π©Ίπ
1. Introduction to Skin Cancer Types π§¬
- Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): Common, slow-growing. Rarely spreads. π’
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC): Can grow quickly, might spread if untreated. π
- Melanoma: Most aggressive, high risk of spread. πͺ
2. Treatment Options and Invasiveness π
- Surgical Removal: Physical removal of cancer. Varies from minor to major. πͺ
- Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays to kill cancer cells. Non-invasive. β’οΈ
- Chemotherapy: Drugs to destroy cancer cells. Can be topical or systemic. π
3. Understanding Treatment Costs πΈ
- Varies Widely: Based on type, stage, location, and insurance coverage. π
- Insurance Coverage: Most treatments are covered, but out-of-pocket costs can vary. π₯
4. ICD Codes and Their Importance π
- ICD-10 for Diagnosis: BCC (
C44.0
), SCC (C44.2
), Melanoma (C43
). - ICD-11 Updates: Reflects the latest international disease classification standards.
- Why It Matters: Accurate coding ensures proper diagnosis, treatment plans, and billing. π§Ύ
5. Pre-Authorizations (PA) and Insurance Claims for Treatments π
- PA Process: Necessary for some treatments to ensure coverage before proceeding. π
- Submitting Claims: Includes detailed treatment information, ICD codes, and procedure codes.
- Labs and Tests: Often require separate claims; important for diagnosis and treatment planning. π¬
6. Conclusion and Patient Resources π
- Empowerment Through Knowledge: Understanding types, treatments, costs, and administrative processes helps patients navigate their care journey. πΊοΈ
- Support Systems: Encourage seeking support groups and resources for additional assistance. π€
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