Background
Cancer patients can face mental health difficulties during their recovery journey. Psycho-Oncology clinics have been established in various health care systems throughout Australia to assist with this. Exploring the experiences of patients can offer insight into important strengths, areas of improvement, and how these services can improve individuals receiving cancer treatment rurally.
Aims
To evaluate the cancer patients’ experiences of outpatient psycho-oncology service in a rural hospital.
Method
An anonymous, voluntary survey was developed in collaboration with the mental health quality improvement team and distributed to patients attending the psycho-oncology outpatient clinic at Goulburn Valley Health over 14 weeks. Data collected included age group, sex, overall experience (0=poor, 10=excellent), and free-text feedback. Likert-scale ratings of service domains were utilised for categories including timeliness and respect, communication and support, and impact of care.
Results
30 patients attended the clinic during the study period with 17 (56.7%) completing the survey. Most responders were aged 55-75 (n=8) and female (n=10). The mean overall experience was rated 9.59 out of 10. The response ‘Strongly agree’ was the most common in all objective ratings: Timeliness (n=15), listening (n=16), ease of explanation (n=15), inclusion in decision-making (n=15), skills building for distress (n=14) and carer satisfaction (n=9, out of 13 completed). One patient had rated ‘Unsure’ for skills building. Free-text feedback highlighted positive communication (n=11), validation (n=1), positive staff interactions (n=1), and appreciation of face-to-face consultations (n=1).
Conclusion
Patients reported highly positive experiences with the rural psycho-oncology service, particularly regarding communication, respect, and involvement in care. These findings support the value of integrating psycho-oncology services into rural cancer care and provide evidence to inform ongoing service development.