Congress Abstracts 2003

73

THE IMPACT OF MEDICAL VISITS ON PATIENTS WITH CANCER. Kelley Moore, RN, and Barry Fortner, PhD, The West Clinic, Memphis, TN; and Ted Okon, MBA, Supportive Oncology Services/Accelerated Community Oncology, Monroe, CT.

It is apparent from contact with cancer patients and their caregivers that clinic visits impact quality of life in ways that may not be immediately obvious. To identify some of these “hidden” impacts on patients and caregivers, informal interviews were conducted in which open-ended and exploratory questions were asked about cancer, treatment, and visits to the clinic. Over 50 cancer patients or caregivers were questioned from January to June 2002 at The West Clinic, Memphis, TN, a private community oncology practice. Patients interviewed were mainly between 40 and 85 years of age and had various types of cancer including colon, prostate, head and neck, breast, and lung tumors.

The findings of the interviews indicated that the need for multiple visits in cancer treatment regimens did have a substantial impact on the lives of both patients and caregivers. Although patients generally accepted multiple visits as necessary to their treatment, it was found that the time and expense associated with multiple clinic visits affected their ability to participate in many activities of daily life. Concerns resulting from multiple medical visits reported by patients and caregivers included the following: The need to take leave from work; having to change or cancel social functions; the inability to meet household and other responsibilities because of time constraints or depleted energy; and the additional financial burden of transportation costs, expending funds available for food and daily activities. Patients with anemia and fatigue reported that visiting the clinic was an extra burden on their already low energy reserve. Interestingly, coming to the clinic was also associated with psychological concerns as some patients reported that these visits reinforced the perception of being “cancer patients” and prompted a sense of anxiety and sadness.

In conclusion, this information underscores the negative impact of multiple medical visits on cancer patients and highlights the need to minimize the number of clinic visits as this will have a positive impact on patients’ quality of life and will enable patients and caregivers to live as normal a life as possible.