title: A preliminary report on innovative group therapy in an oncology in-patient department: a patient-family-staff community meeting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Community Meeting (CM) is a unique form of group therapy applied from Psychiatry to an Oncology in-patient department. It is designed to answer the needs of in-patients and family members for open communication and empathic interaction and to serve as a model for effective coping.
  
  
  METHODS
  A weekly staff-patient-family open group was held, with facilitation based on an integrative crisis intervention model. After each CM, the staff meets to discuss implications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Frequent themes include patient and caregiver concerns about cancer, treatments, communication and coping difficulties. Subjective impressions of participants indicate positive outcomes. The CM seems to enhance positive interactions and perceived quality of care. It helps staff to identify distress, serves as a managerial tool and promotes collaboration among staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CM is a unique method for addressing the burdens of in-patient oncology members. A structured study is needed to substantiate these descriptive outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Rambam-Health Care Campus, and Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. lironeliasov@gmail.com
authors.forename: Liron
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eliasov
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zalman
authors.forename: Ezequiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flechter
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vorobeichik
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halevi-Gurevich
authors.forename: Inbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Gil
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bar-Sela
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D003142:Communication; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003419:Crisis Intervention / Q000379:methods; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D000078329:Workforce