Creating an integrative survivorship program within a conventional medical culture within a lean economic environment.

Abstract

177 Background: The Institute of Medicine report, From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition (2005) identified gaps in services for cancer patients upon completion of their initial phase of treatment. In response to these needs, the Commission on Cancer (CoC) (2015) defined survivorship as an official phase of treatment along the cancer care continuum. This case study examined the process of developing an integrative survivorship program that introduces complementary health approaches within a conventional oncology setting using limited financial resources. Methods: A case study design was applied to examine using complementary health approaches as the foundation of a newly implemented cancer survivorship program. A regional CoC accredited community was the research site. Data was collected from: empirical literature, a self-report inventory completed by participants, and archival data and was interpreted using the logic model framework. Results: Findings revealed that using a survivorship model with complementary health approaches as its foundation within a conventional cancer treatment facility resulted in positive outcomes for cancer survivors. Seven core concepts were identified as significant to the process of developing an integrative program. Findings also showed that using a volunteer-staffed program was an effective implementation plan within a lean economic environment. Additionally, this case demonstrated that complementary components resulted in self-reported improvements among cancer survivors in mood, pain, social connectedness, stress, fatigue, and coping capacity. Conclusions: Within this case study, there were seven elements significant to the process of successfully developing and implementing an integrative survivorship program within a conventional medical cancer setting. A cancer survivorship program that integrates complementary health approaches within a conventional cancer treatment facility appears efficacious in assisting cancer survivors in addressing long-term and late-onset side effects of cancer treatment. Using a volunteer-staffed program model was effective for implementing the program within a lean economic environment.