Open AccessLiving with cancer and other chronic conditions: Patients’ perceptions of their healthcare experience
Author(s) -
Kia Duthie,
Fay J. Strohschein,
Carmen G. Loiselle
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
canadian oncology nursing journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2368-8076
pISSN - 1181-912X
DOI - 10.5737/236880762714348
Subject(s) - health care , intervention (counseling) , medicine , chronic condition , patient experience , multiple chronic conditions , acute care , ambulatory care , nursing , negotiation , multidisciplinary approach , qualitative research , perception , cancer , family medicine , psychology , chronic disease , disease , social science , pathology , neuroscience , sociology , political science , law , economics , economic growth
Multimorbidity is known to contribute to the complexity of care for patients with cancer. This qualitative study begins to explore cancer patients' experience with multimodal treatments, that is, treatments for multiple chronic conditions, as well as issues related to navigating the healthcare system. Participants (n=10) were recruited from an ambulatory cancer centre in a large, university-affiliated hospital in Montreal, Quebec. Important challenges were reported in terms of striking a fine balance between acute health needs and underlying ongoing chronic condition(s), experiencing unforeseen treatment complications, and negotiating silos across medical specialties. Participants also wished to be better known by the healthcare team. When reporting a positive care coordination experience, participants often attributed it to the intervention by a nurse navigator. Lastly, participants expected a more personalized care approach and would have liked to be included in multidisciplinary board meetings. Study results underscore the impetus to better integrate care across diseases, enhance person-centred care, and support patients who strive to balance competing needs when facing multimorbidity.