What do patients really want to know?

• DOI: 10.1200/jco.2017.35.15_suppl.e18261
• Publication Date: 2018-09-06T15:50:36Z
• Authors: Anesa Waheda Ahamad; Paul E. Wallner; Sharon Salenius; Rudi Ross; Eduardo Fernandez
• Keywords: Interquartile range; Radiation oncologist

e18261 Background: We describe and analyze the quantity, nature spectrum of questions asked by patients at consultation for radiotherapy to clarify volume that have inform extent which pre-composed non-personalized educational material is sufficient. Methods: With IRB approval, we retrospectively reviewed records consultations were performed a single radiation oncologist from 2012 2016. Patients had been list all their exhaustively, then documented. To define topics data abstraction, extracted pilot group initial six-month period. One hundred seventy five obtained condensed into 57 information further grouped in 34 themes, nine subjects 2 broad areas. Results: A total 2,386 posed 396 patients. The median number per was 6, range 0 16 interquartile 4. There 878 disease-related (36.8% questions) 1,358 modality-related (56.9% questions). frequency on each listed Table. Conclusions: It important elicit patients’ concerns during consultation. Since almost 40% regarding details individual’s tumor, not 3 most frequently also cannot be adequately given as set information: they require individualized logistics, side effects technical details. Further study needed measure amount time effort required evaluate manage whether practice personalization merits additional reimbursement or coverage. [Table: see text]