Abstract
The Institute of Medicine recommended in their landmark report “From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition” that services to meet the needs of cancer patients should extend beyond physical health issues to include functional and psychosocial consequences of cancer. However, no systems exist in the US to support state-level data collection on availability of support services for cancer patients. Developing a mechanism to systematically collect these data and document service availability is essential for guiding comprehensive cancer control planning efforts. This study was carried out to develop a protocol for implementing a statewide survey of all Commission on Cancer (CoC) accredited cancer centers in South Carolina and to implement the survey to examine availability of patient support services within the state. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of CoC-certified cancer centers in South Carolina. An administrator at each center completed a survey on availability of five services: 1) patient navigation; 2) distress screening; 3) genetic risk assessment and counseling, 4) survivorship care planning; and 5) palliative care. Completed surveys were received from 16 of 17 eligible centers (94%). Of the 16 centers, 44% reported providing patient navigation; 31% reported conducting distress screening; and 44% reported providing genetic risk assessment and counseling. Over 85% of centers reported having an active palliative care program, palliative care providers and a hospice program, but fewer had palliative outpatient services (27%), palliative inpatient beds (50%) or inpatient consultation teams (31%). This was a small, yet systematic survey in one state. This study demonstrated a practical method for successfully monitoring statewide availability of cancer patient support services, including identifying service gaps.
Highlights
As of 2016 the US had more than 15.5 million cancer survivors [1]
To help translate recommendations from the IOM reports into tangible support services that can benefit those living with cancer, the American College of Surgeon’s Commission on Cancer (CoC) has added new cancer center accreditation standards
Genetic risk assessment and counseling services and palliative care were both added as new program standards by the CoC in 2012 [4]
Summary
As of 2016 the US had more than 15.5 million cancer survivors [1]. With an aging population and medical advances that enable more effective cancer screening and treatment, estimates indicate a 36% increase in the number of cancer survivors to 19 million by 2024 [1]. To help translate recommendations from the IOM reports into tangible support services that can benefit those living with cancer, the American College of Surgeon’s Commission on Cancer (CoC) has added new cancer center accreditation standards. These program standards are described in their 2012 cancer program standards [4]. Survivorship care planning was scheduled to be added as a new program standard by January 2015, but due to the scope of work that will be required to develop these services, cancer centers will have until the end of 2018 to fully phase in this service [5]. These services are designed to improve the quality and continuity of cancer care, but little is known about the extent to which these services have been implemented
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