Through service design to improve the HRQOL (Health- Related Quality of Life) in the treatment and rehabilitation of elderly women with breast cancer in Shanghai

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the world. As China enters the aging society, elderly breast cancer presents the characteristics of high incidence, late detection and long treatment time. This is related to the imperfect services that elderly women receive in the treatment and rehabilitation. Eventually, the HRQOL (health-related quality of life) in their later years has declined. By using service design tools, the authors conducted field research and in-depth interviews in Shanghai hospitals and developed service strategy to improve the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in the treatment and rehabilitation of elderly women with breast cancer. The paper presents three design contents: (1) smart healthcare service system; (2) improvement of service scenarios in the hospital; (3) a life-long service that links communities, families, and individuals to transform breast cancer into "chronic disease". In this paper, the authors also discuss the next step and prospects.