Cancer Care Coordination: A Pilot Project

Emerging my previous research with BC Cancer Agency is the notion of care coordination, a fundamental component of supportive care. Care coordination is an approach to care that attends to the unique needs of patients from the time of diagnosis through treatment and beyond across the following domains: practical, family (relationships), emotional, spiritual, physical, social, informational, and psychological. While some components of this work are already undertaken by RNs at BCCA, missing is the ability to attend to these domains consistently and in a coordinated fashion across the care continuum. With an interest to improve BCCA patients' experience of cancer care and pulling together findings from our previous research, this study proposes a pilot study of care coordination that will focus on three distinct processes: assessment, care planning, and follow up. In this study, these processes will be formalised with patient participants. We will analyse their experience of care as well as the experience of the care coordinators and other health care providers working with patient participants. BCCA will gain an understanding of how care coordination may be implemented and its value to their patients.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Mary Ellen Purkis

Student:

Catherine van Mossel

Partner:

British Columbia Cancer Agency - Vancouver Island Centre

Discipline:

Nursing

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

University of Victoria