The role of industry in improving quality of life for persons with an ostomy: a Canadian consensus.
Financial and clinical resources (which include 260 enterostomal therapy nurses nationwide) to provide clinical and rehabilitative expertise to the estimated 50,000 to 60,000 Canadians living with an ostomy are limited. Hence, many persons with an ostomy fall through the cracks in the early pre- and postoperative period or are lost to follow-up afterdischarge. Problems and issues related to ostomy management continue to surface throughout their lives. As a result,the time required for rehabilitation is often lengthy, affecting the person's quality of life. The First Canadian Enterostomal Therapy Nurses' Advisory Council consisting of 10 Canadian enterostomal therapy nurses met in February 2004 to identify key issues and concerns for Canadians living the ostomy experience and to identify gaps in information and services available before surgery, during the immediate postoperative period, and as the time from surgery lengthened and patients moved through age-related life issues. The two most important gaps identified were the development of quality, pertinent resources and the dissemination of those resources. The Council also identified potential strategies to bridge these gaps, including utilizing the resources of manufacturer Customer Service departments to follow a communications protocol to provide information to patients, retailers, and providers. Finally, a process map from which individual ostomy manufacturers can build programs and processes for improving patient/provider/manufacturer communication was developed.
United Ostomy Association of Canada. gwendola@aol.com
Gwen B
GB
Turnbull
Arleene
A
Arnold
Lorne
L
Aronson
Gail
G
Hawke
Kimberly
K
LeBlanc
Nancy
N
Parslow
Dorothy
D
Phillips
Diane
D
St-Cyr
Carolyn
C
Steeves
Louise
L
Tremblay
Carla
C
Wells
Susan Mills
SM
Zorzes
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000465:Algorithms; D002170:Canada; D003663:Decision Trees; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods; D008019:Life Style; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010030:Ostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D028701:Patient Rights; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration