Patient and family experiences with accessing telephone cancer treatment symptom support: a descriptive study.
OBJECTIVE
Assess patient and family member experiences with telephone cancer treatment symptom support.


METHODS
Descriptive study guided by the Knowledge-to-Action Framework. Patients and family members who received telephone support for a cancer treatment symptom within the last month at one of three ambulatory cancer programs (Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec) were eligible. An adapted Short Questionnaire for Out-of-hours Care instrument was analyzed with univariate statistics.


RESULTS
Of 105 participants, 83 % telephoned about themselves and 17 % for a family member. Participants received advice over the telephone (90 %) and were advised to go to emergency (13 %) and/or the clinic (9 %). Two left a message and were not called back. Participants were "very satisfied" with the manner of nurse or doctor (58 %), explanation about problem (56 %), treatment/advice given (54 %), way call was handled (48 %), getting through (40 %), and wait time to speak to a nurse or doctor (38 %). The proportion "dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" for the above items was 4, 5, 9, 11, 10, and 14 %, respectively. Suggestions were shorter call back time, weekend access to telephone support, more knowledgeable advice on self-care strategies, more education at discharge, and shared documentation on calls to avoid repetition and improve continuity.


CONCLUSIONS
Most patients and family members who responded to the survey were satisfied with telephone-based cancer treatment symptom support. Programs could improve telephone support services by providing an estimated time for callback, ensuring that nurses have access to and use previous call documentation, and enhancing patient education on self-care strategies for managing and triaging treatment-related symptoms.
School of Nursing, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8M5. dstacey@uottawa.ca.|Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8L6. dstacey@uottawa.ca.
Dawn
D
Stacey
Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Esther
E
Green
Northeast Cancer Center, Health Sciences North, 41 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON, Canada, P3E 5J1.
Barbara
B
Ballantyne
Cancer Care Mission, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3G 1A4.
Myriam
M
Skrutkowski
Capital Health, 1276 South Park Street, Victoria Building, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 2Y9.
Angela
A
Whynot
Cancer Care Mission, McGill University Health Centre Research Institute, Montreal General Hospital, 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3G 1A4.
Lucie
L
Tardif
Capital Health, 1276 South Park Street, Victoria Building, Halifax, NS, Canada, B3H 2Y9.
Joy
J
Tarasuk
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1H 8L6.
Meg
M
Carley
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004630:Emergencies; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D009674:Nova Scotia; D009726:Nurses; D009864:Ontario; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011792:Quebec; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone
Oncology; Patient satisfaction; Self-management; Symptoms; Telephone