Implementation of a new patient health questionnaire into standard practice in outpatient cancer clinics to improve patient care and quality of treatment.

Authors

null

Kathryn Estey

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

Kathryn Estey, Catherine Brown, Andrea Perez-Cosio, Gursharan Gill, Mindy Liang, Geoffrey Liu

Organizations

Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada, Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

Research Funding

No funding sources reported

Background: Patient socio-demographic, lifestyle, and risk factor information at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM) is routinely collected for clinical purposes. The only standardized patient information presently being gathered in the outpatient cancer clinics at the PM is symptom management data, which is linked directly into the electronic medical records. Collecting and recording additional data can improve the quality of patient care, help identify risk factors, and guide treatment options. Our aim was to determine the feasibility of collecting this additional information in a clinical setting. Methods: This pilot cohort study was implemented in the thoracic outpatient oncology clinic at the PM. It involved developing a questionnaire utilizing literature sources, expert review, and pilot testing. Adult cancer patients completed the questionnaire and a complementary acceptability survey during their first clinic visit. Results: 170 patients with thoracic tumours, primarily lung cancer, took part in the feasibility study. Of these, 51% were female, 67% were Caucasian, and the median age was 65 (range 32 to 88) years old. The acceptability survey demonstrated that: 76% of respondents found that the questionnaire did not make their clinic visit more difficult, 68% found that it asked the right questions, 79% thought the questionnaire contained pertinent information for their doctor and other healthcare providers to know, and 51% found that it was time consuming to complete. Conclusions: This study determined that it is feasible to implement a standardized questionnaire that gathers patient socio-demographic, lifestyle, and risk factor information in routine clinical cancer care. Since half of the study population found the questionnaire time consuming to complete it should be administered prior to patient visits, in an electronic format, and with greater explanation/education. The next phase is converting the questionnaire into an electronic version, which aligns with the preferences of study participants and will allow the information to be more easily accessible by clinicians/researchers.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2016 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Science of Quality

Track

Cost, Value, and Policy in Quality,Practice of Quality,Science of Quality

Sub Track

Quality Improvement

Citation

J Clin Oncol 34, 2016 (suppl 7S; abstr 214)

DOI

10.1200/jco.2016.34.7_suppl.214

Abstract #

214

Poster Bd #

E10

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

First Author: Alyssa Macedo

Abstract

2021 ASCO Quality Care Symposium

Risk factors for ED visits and admissions during outpatient chemotherapy in head and neck cancer.

First Author: Navika Shukla

First Author: Carmen L Wilson