The quality of information services to cancer patients in the hospital: An exploratory study

Abstract

In The Netherlands, cancer patients can turn to a variety of agencies to obtain cancer-related information. Health practitioners in hospitals play an important role in supplying information to these patients, and patients have direct and frequent contacts with the practitioners. The Comprehensive Cancer Center/IKO (Integraal Kankercentrum Oost) is studying the quality of information services for cancer patients in four hospitals. In two hospitals, the research has been completed. Using Sense-Making Methodology, we were looking for answers to the following questions: What requests do patients have for information? How are these addressed? What is the role of the medical care network in this? To answer these questions, we interviewed both health practitioners and patients. Qualitative analysis revealed that the supply of medically oriented information to patients was generally quite satisfactory. Where problems did arise, they were due to defective coordination among health practitioners, low accessibility of information or aid for patients, and deficiencies regarding contents. Quantitative analysis showed more clearly that patients' questions are largely of a non-medical kind, whereas health practitioners tend to offer medical information.