title: Evidence-based recommendations for information and care planning in cancer care.
abstract: The practice of oncology is characterized by challenging communication tasks that make it difficult to ensure optimal physician-patient information sharing and care planning. Discussions of diagnosis, prognosis, and patient goals are essential processes that inform decisions. However, data suggest that there are deficiencies in this area. We conducted a systematic review to identify the evidence supporting high-quality clinical practices for information and care planning in the context of cancer care as part of the RAND Cancer Quality-Assessing Symptoms, Side Effects, and Indicators of Supportive Treatment Project. Domains of information and care planning that are important for high-quality cancer care include integration of palliation into cancer care, advance care planning, sentinel events as markers for the need to readdress a patient's goals of care, and continuity of care planning. The standards presented here for information and care planning in cancer care should be incorporated into care pathways and should become the expectation rather than the exception.
authors.affiliation: David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. awalling@mednet.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walling
authors.forename: Karl A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: Sydney M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dy
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naeim
authors.forename: Homayoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sanati
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Asch
authors.forename: Neil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Wenger
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives; D003142:Communication; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance