Cheung Christabel K, Jones Laundette, Lee Haelim, Bridges Jordan N, Tucker-Seeley Reginald, Vyfhuis Melissa Ana Liriano, Gianelle Maria C, Thomas Bria N, Betz Gail, Waldo Laurie, Hirsch Alan S, Ntiri Shana O
Assistant Professor, University of Maryland School of Social Work.
Associate Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Med Res Arch. 2023 Oct;11(10). doi: 10.18103/mra.v11i10.4582. Epub 2023 Oct 25.
Healthcare providers have an influential role in the experience of financial toxicity among their cancer patients, yet patients commonly report unmet needs and dissatisfaction regarding communication with their providers about financial concerns.
The purpose of this study is to develop a novel financial navigation pathway that leverages existing patient financial services and resources with corresponding patient-centered, community-informed strategies, via study participants, that may be utilized in routine care to reduce financial hardship among cancer patients.
We conducted in-depth interviews (n=50) with 34 cancer patients and 16 cancer care professionals at a National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer center located in a dense urban area of the US between December2022 to June 2023.
Content analyses resulted in emergent themes and representative quotations on experiences of financial hardship within the material, behavioral, and psychosocial domains. Investigators used emergent themes to develop financial strategies and construct a financial navigation pathway to screen patients for and intervene upon the financial toxicity of cancer in routine care.
This study followed an innovative approach by constructing a financial navigation pathway tool that follows the oncological workflow at a National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer center. Future research is needed to test the tool's impact on financial toxicity, cancer outcomes, and other health-related outcomes, and to better understand how much patient navigation is needed to bring about meaningful change.
医疗服务提供者在癌症患者的经济毒性体验中发挥着重要作用，但患者普遍表示在与医疗服务提供者沟通财务问题方面存在未满足的需求和不满。
本研究的目的是开发一种新颖的财务导航路径，通过研究参与者利用现有的患者财务服务和资源以及相应的以患者为中心、社区知情的策略，这些策略可用于常规护理，以减轻癌症患者的经济困难。
2022年12月至2023年6月期间，我们在美国一个人口密集城市地区的国立癌症研究所指定的综合癌症中心，对34名癌症患者和16名癌症护理专业人员进行了深入访谈（n = 50）。
内容分析得出了物质、行为和心理社会领域内经济困难经历的新出现主题和代表性引述。研究人员利用新出现的主题制定财务策略，并构建了一条财务导航路径，以便在常规护理中筛查患者并干预癌症的经济毒性。
本研究采用了一种创新方法，构建了一个财务导航路径工具，该工具遵循国立癌症研究所指定的综合癌症中心的肿瘤学工作流程。未来需要开展研究，以测试该工具对经济毒性、癌症结局和其他健康相关结局的影响，并更好地了解需要多少患者导航才能带来有意义的改变。
