Patient satisfaction with information on chemotherapy

Abstract

Introduction: Patients, who are starting systemic treatment for an oncological disease, receive a large amount of information on their treatment at multiple time points from several different healthcare professionals. In the OLVG hospital in Amsterdam, the information provision was harmonized in a multiprofessional treatment team. Afterward, the satisfaction with drug information was measured in ambulatory patients. Methods: The clinical care pathway of the oncology patient who receives antineoplastic drug treatment was mapped out, identifying the different moments where information can be given and by whom. In 3 multidisciplinary meetings, the different time points for patient contact were assigned to one of the healthcare professionals and the content of the information to be given was agreed upon by the team. For measurement of patient satisfaction, the validated Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale (SIMS) questionnaire was used during a 1-week period at the oncology day-care department. Results: Information at each contact with the patient was standardized in a map of the patients' clinical care pathway. Forty-eight patients returned a SIMS questionnaire showing a high overall satisfaction rate of 81%. Conclusion: This study has shown that harmonizing information provision to patients on anticancer drug treatment is feasible and results in high levels of information satisfaction in oncology patients.