Perspectives on post-treatment cancer care: qualitative research with survivors, nurses, and physicians. 2007

Maria E Hewitt, and Annette Bamundo, and Rebecca Day, and Catherine Harvey
Institute of Medicine, The National Academies, Washington, DC, USA. Maria.hewitt@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE Cancer survivors have many medical and psychosocial needs that are unaddressed in the post-treatment period. Qualitative research was carried out to assess how a survivorship care plan created by oncologists could improve the quality of survivorship care. METHODS Focus groups and interviews conducted with cancer survivors, nurses, primary care physicians, and oncologists provide insights into post-treatment follow-up practices and the acceptability and feasibility of providing survivors and referring physicians with a cancer survivorship care plan. RESULTS Cancer survivors reported satisfaction with post-treatment medical care, but felt that their psychosocial needs were not met. Survivors expressed enthusiastic support for receipt of a follow-up care plan. Primary care physicians viewed themselves as playing an important role during the post-treatment period and indicated that a written care plan for follow-up would help them improve their survivorship practices. Nurses recognized the need to improve the care of cancer survivors and suggested that they could play an active role in creating and implementing cancer survivorship plans. Physicians providing oncology care acknowledged the value of survivorship care plans, but were not inclined to complete them because such plans would not reduce other reporting and communication requirements and would be burdensome to complete given their busy schedules. CONCLUSIONS Survivorship care planning is viewed favorably by consumers, nurses, and physicians, however there are several barriers to its adoption. Barriers may be overcome with: electronic medical records, changes in reporting requirements of insurers, advocacy on the part of patients, and incorporation of care planning in education and training programs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009369 Neoplasms New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms. Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D009726 Nurses Professionals qualified by graduation from an accredited school of nursing and by passage of a national licensing examination to practice nursing. They provide services to patients requiring assistance in recovering or maintaining their physical or mental health. Nursing Personnel,Personnel, Nursing,Registered Nurses,Nurse,Nurse, Registered,Nurses, Registered,Registered Nurse
D010821 Physicians, Family Those physicians who have completed the education requirements specified by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Physician,Family Physicians,Physician, Family
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D017741 Survivors Persons who have experienced a prolonged survival after serious disease or who continue to live with a usually life-threatening condition as well as family members, significant others, or individuals surviving traumatic life events. Long-Term Survivors,Long Term Survivors,Long-Term Survivor,Survivor,Survivor, Long-Term,Survivors, Long-Term

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