[Psychosocial management in pediatric oncology--presentation of a cooperative team model].

This article presents a psychosocial patient-care program for pediatric cancer patients and their families. The program, initiated within the framework of a "cooperative team model", represents a new organisational form of cooperation between somatic and psychosomatic medicine that has been virtually untested in the filed of internal medicine. The advantages of this form lie in the improved availability of the families involved and the inherent possibilities of appropriate and effective assistance in overcoming the burdens of the illness and the treatment. Comparison with a liaison model showed a 3-times higher mean contact quota per patient/family. Problems which can be expected through implementation as well as related conflicts are discussed. Basic rules are formulated which must be followed if successful interdisciplinary cooperation is to be achieved. Areas of responsibility and activity are described for members of the psychosocial team (psychologists, social workers, visiting nurses) and a basis for documentation is illustrated using the evaluating results. The working concept behind an integrated psychosocial care system includes, as its basis, accompanying support to the involved families within the framework of general psychosocial care in which all of the members of the entire oncological team take part. As required, the special capabilities of the various psychosocial professions can then be brought to bear according to their functions and competence (psychosocial counselling and therapy, social-service counselling, medical and nursing care). Due to the conditions, inherent in the situation resulting from the illness and treatment, basic conceptional positions and attitudes become apparent that are of importance of psychosocial work is to be successful in a pediatric oncology ward.