Support for working cancer survivors: toward collaboration among stakeholders in hospitals, workplaces, and communities

Abstract

Abstract Owing to improvements in treatments and supportive care, more survivors return to during and after treatment. Work outcomes are influenced by multiple conditions such as patients’ individual characteristics, health conditions, and environments. Outcomes are also influenced by the broader conditions of policies and community resources. Although healthcare providers cannot act as ’specialists’ of work-related issues, hospital visits can be considered as precious opportunities for patients, where multi-disciplinary healthcare providers can screen patients in need and provide them with basic work-related support. Healthcare providers will also be able to refer such patients to appropriate specialists both within and outside of the hospital. This presentation gives an outline of current cancer and work policies in Japan, and discusses how healthcare providers can effectively collaborate with various stakeholders that interact with working patients.