Source: Annual Congress 2002 - Lung cancer: epidemiology and clinical characteristics

Abstract

Although concerted efforts are made to conform to timetables in managing lung cancer, equally important is how patients and carers perceive services. Addressing potentials for weakness, confidential questionnaires were sent to an unselected population of surviving patients and to carers of patients deceased. All patients had been diagnosed over a 6 month period to July 2001. Of 62 cases identified, after exclusions 56 questionnaires were sent yielding 36(65%) responses. These included 14/24 (58%)surviving patients and 22/31(71%)carers. Analysing responses together, dissatisfaction in the process of care was expressed by 8(22%) for with the time taken to reach a diagnosis, 12(38%) for the delay on the day in being told a diagnosis and 11(33%) for lack of communication between departments. Importantly only 2(6%) were not satisfied with the way news was broken, only 3(10%) considered not enough time had been allocated to this, and only 3(6%) were not initially seen by the lung cancer nurse specialist. 5(15%) claimed they did not initially understand the diagnosis, 9(25%) felt that not enough information was available, and 6(18%) felt they were not able to participate in decision making. 9(28%) felt they were not supported by the current staffing arrangements with 4(13%) not able to immediately access the lung cancer nurse specialist. 10(33%) felt they were not able to approach the doctors directly. Analysing surviving patients and carers separately, a disproportionate amount of the criticism originated from the carers. Acknowledging disparity in reporting and the poor prognosis in lung cancer, similar audits should be carried out early to provide a better guide as to how patients themselves perceive the services.

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Citations should be made in the following way:
R. Rabbani, K. Pickstock, R. Hayton, L. Pandya, H. Moudgil (Telford, United Kingdom). Delivering a lung cancer service: patient and carer perceptions. Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 578

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