The 2015 Cancer Experience: A National Study of Patients and Caregivers, a Cancer Treatment Centers of America survey, shows that overall satisfaction among cancer patients and caregivers has improved significantly since 2012, the first year the survey was taken.
"It is great news that the satisfaction of cancer patients is improving, but cancer care as a whole still needs to improve to make a bigger difference for patients, especially in ways that increase comfort, care coordination and access to essential information," Maurie Markman, MD, president of medicine and science at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said in a statement. "Clinical excellence alone cannot replace the need to focus attention on patient comfort and coordinated care."
Here are four takeaways from the survey.
• Coordinated care is the key to improving overall patient satisfaction. Sixty-two percent of cancer patients reported it was important to them to have a specific individual coordinating their care. However, only 32 percent experienced this during treatment.
• Patients and caregivers struggle to understand complex healthcare terminology. Forty-six percent of patients and 49 percent of caregivers reported understanding terms such as immunotherapy, genomic testing and precision cancer treatment, suggesting a lack of clear communication between care teams and patients.
• Lack of confidence in care teams causes patients and caregivers to switch providers. Nearly 20 percent of caregivers switched the patient's provider due to lack of confidence in treatment plan.
• The next generation of patients is more actively involved. Nearly 40 percent of cancer patients, usually younger patients, seek a second opinion. The results suggest that younger patients in general may take a more proactive role in their treatment decisions.