Diagnosis Of Cancer Patients ' Information Needs The First Nine Months After Diagnosis

Research indicates that as many as 13% [Smith 2005] of primary care visits have missing clinical information. A patient's health information is potentially distributed across a wide range of locations including their general practitioner, hospitals, imaging centers, specialists and allied health practices.

Cancer has one of the biggest effects on the patients mental health but also the patients loved ones and friends. It is one of the hardest things to get a grip on when the doctor tells someone that they have cancer and a fifty-fifty chance of making it. "The disease can bring many changes-in what people do and how they look, in how they feel and what they value" (Dakota 4). It makes people look at the world and their lives in a different way, valuing now what they took for granted and seeing the bigger picture in every scenario. It is something that no one can actually brace, even after the doctor tells them. Through it all though, the person must remain strong and optimistic because the cancer can affect the person's moods and in return affect the outcome of the person and the chances of their making it

Information Literacy is a crucial portion of the scholarship, practice, and leadership model. Information Literacy that is utilized in a clinical setting by Physicians, Physician Assistants, and Nursing staff help to determine the type of care that is provided to patients. “Information competence is a basis for long-life learning competence and is necessary in any way of learning” (Tursheva, 2009, p. 127). As a scholar, practitioner, and leader, one must possess the knowledge and the ability to

According to the American Cancer Society, half of all men and one third of all women will develop cancer within their lifetime (Cancer.org). These figures are staggering. Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is a terrifying and unpredictable disease for many cancer sufferers. As such, it is imperative that healthcare workers have a thorough understanding of the various cancer diagnoses, treatments, and preventative strategies necessary to combat this devastating plague. Skills at managing not only the illness itself, but also the psychological and social side effects

Give people diagnosed with a life limiting illness, a better understanding of the different types of cancers and management of the issues they may encounter as their disease progresses.

As stated by Dr. Debra Patt from Texas Oncology “the educational content enhancements to My Care Plus will allow me to provide patient education more easily and help me to improve patient’s health literacy” (McKesson 2016). One unique feature to McKesson products, in particular to their oncology product, is that it provides patients with a unique outline of their diagnosis (McKesson 2016). This includes more information about their disease, medical reports, and what to expect throughout their treatment plan (McKesson 2016). It is evident that McKesson products are currently utilized to their fullest extent and among these resources is patient education. The establishment for a central location for patient data enables patient education to continue both inside the health care facility, as well as, at home. McKesson products recognize the need for health education and also recognize that education does not end at the physician office but is also

Patients come to the physician because of a problem that they are having and with that notion they are prepared to give full details of their problem. Giving information to the medical staff is a

Martin Weiser, Stuart H.Q. Chair at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, believes the advice provided “helps frame the cancer treatment discussion, set expectations, inform patients about complex therapies and support their participation in a difficult decision-making process” (Weiser). His job ensures each individual gains full awareness of their symptoms and which treatment plan is best, whether they get all the information from a physician or only some. The feeling is mutual with Lisa Hanchey, author of “WebMD: good or bad medicine?’ She focuses her article around the opinions of doctors. For example, Dr. Gautum explicitly states “an informed patient is one who is going to help me take care of them” (Hanchey). The doctors mentioned in her article all agree, a patient calling with questions of concern will benefit them rather than cause anxiety. Weiser and Hanchey reach a common ground because the results provided online are resourceful, but a doctor’s visit should occur shortly

Those research articles advocated for varied and unique support groups, with no one type that is more effective than the other. Hope Cancer Resources adopts this mentality, as they work to cater to specific needs for specific populations. Hope Cancer Resources works hard to continually evolve to meet the emotional needs of the patients they care for, which can be seen in their recent additions of the Lymphedema Support group and Stage Four Support group. Both of these groups were requested by patients at the clinics, and the organization altered their course to ensure they were catering to their

Hearing a diagnosis of cancer leaves most patients in a state of shock and unsure of what their next step should be. While they are still wrapping their brain around the diagnosis, they are being bombarded with information, testing, and multiple physician appointments. They need guidance and support to direct them through the complicated health care system in a timely fashion that reduces the delay in their treatment, as well as assist them in identifying and overcoming any barriers to these delays.

How we communicate effects everything we do. Whether talking to patients and family members, speaking in a team meeting, or talking with our children’s teacher at a conference, communication is how we learn information, teach information and express our concerns. With this paper I will discuss; the definitions of healthcare communication, the relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication with other healthcare professionals, clients, and patients, the relevancy of effective professional healthcare

When I spoke to the Doctor, she recommended that we have surgery, not knowing if they would diagnose the disease as advanced as my Mom. I was scared, not knowing what the outcome would be. I was just forty-nine years old, and I prepared myself for a fight and battle; I wasn’t going to let this disease win. Preparing for the treatments and keeping a positive attitude was my survivor tool. After surgery, my cancer was diagnosed as stage one and the tumor being very minuscule. The Doctor recommended for me to have 30 radiation treatments and no chemo ordered. Every day, I would wake up and say to myself “yes I am going to stay active and positive and beat this disease”. In Geneva where I live there is a facility called the Living Well Cancer Resource Center; I would drive past it daily not knowing that this facility would be part of my life for the next six months. I was recommended to check out the support cancer group meetings they held. I attended my first session by myself, and I also started my radiation treatments the same week. I never attended any type of support groups or addiction meetings, so I didn’t know what to expect. The meeting started off with a panel of ladies who are all cancer patients or cancer survivors. We each took our turn to introduce ourselves and talk about what cancer you been diagnosed with, and how long you been going for

Cancer registries are conducted by someone called a cancer registrar. Cancer registrars collect data about cancer from a variety of sources. They then report these statistics to government and health agencies like the State Cancer Registries. The cancer registrar’s main responsibility is to ensure the timely, accurate and complete collection and maintenance of cancer data into the system. They work closely with physicians, administrators, researchers, and health care planners to provide cancer program development support. This ensures compliance with reporting standards and serves as a valuable resource for cancer information.

It is important for professional nurses to evaluate information found on the internet because (1) Patients engagement: Patients can play a positive role in protecting their health, they can choose which treatment is appropriate for them, cooperative fully in decision making about their disease conditions. (2) Improving health literacy: Nurses can advocate for patients who are illiterate by helping to understand their disease condition and treatment options. (3) Improving treatment decision-making: Patients are known to be dissatisfied when they are not properly informed about any decision making concerning a disease condition and treatment. Evidence-based patient decision aids facilitate the process of making informed decisions about disease management and

There are a number of key elements that help to provide a framework that enhances truthful communication. Firstly, there is the need to develop open and honest communication from the very beginning of the patient-health professional relationship. Secondly, the health professional needs to use patient penchant as a “weigh” by asking them what they wish to know, how much they wish to know, and determining what they already know. In other words, it is a responsibility of the health professional to get a ‘feel’ for the situation, including the patients’ perception of the situation (Ashcroft, Dawson & Drape 2007).