Amongst my medical oncology colleagues, we each do about two months a year rounding with the inpatient team of fellows, residents, students, pharmacists, and extenders for either the inpatient medical oncology or hematology service. So any cancer patient admitted to our hospital system will often be seen by these two teams. In addition, I often see a few patients daily as part of the Solid Tumor Cellular service and I noticed an interesting observation that patients with family members or friends in the room seem to have a better experience not only for the patient but also for us as healthcare providers for various reasons I listed below. In this post, I address the interesting roles family/friends can do help care for their loved ones while in the hospital. Hope this helps!
As a medical oncologist, my rounds in the hospital with our team of fellows, extenders, and pharmacists are crucial for providing comprehensive care to our cancer patients. During these rounds, I’ve consistently observed the significant difference a family member or friend at the patient’s bedside can make. This blog post aims to delve into the reasons why the presence of a loved one is not just beneficial but often essential in the hospital care of cancer patients.
The Vital Role of Family and Friends During Hospitalization:
1. Enhanced Communication:
– Story: 68-year-old Merkel cell cancer patient, was often confused about his medication schedule. His wife’s presence during rounds helped clarify the confusion and ensure proper medication management.
– Loved ones often provide critical information about the patient’s recent health history and day-to-day condition, details that the patient may overlook or are unable to communicate.
2. Emotional Support:
– Story: When Mr. PJ, diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, received news of his disease diagnosis for the first time, his wife’s presence provided him with immediate emotional support, a crucial element in coping with such difficult news. Often patients are admitted for acute issues that require urgent intervention to safely stabilize the patient inpatient and then long-term discussions of cancer treatment goals of care that are done outpatient. In this situation, this patient needed a fluid tap along with multiple other staging exams. While addressing the short-term goals of getting the patient safely back home, we were also able to address the big picture treatment options that the patient and family can start thinking about before meeting their primary oncologist in the outpatient clinic.
– The presence of a family member or friend provides emotional stability and comfort, essential for a patient’s mental well-being during a stressful hospital stay. The presence of family allowed the patient to focus on healing in the hospital while the family remembered all the details. This fostered further conversations for the patient with the family allowing the patient to improve and transition care as an outpatient.
3. Advocacy for Patient Needs:
– Story: Young ST, battling colon cancer, was too shy to express his discomfort with repeat peripheral IV placement. His mother’s advocacy led to a more comfortable solution of placing a port to avoid and minimize further failed peripherals sticks.
– Family members often act as advocates, ensuring the patient’s needs and preferences are communicated to the medical team.
4. Assistance with Decision Making:
– Story: When faced with the choice of continuing aggressive treatment or transitioning to palliative care, Mrs. Lee relied heavily on her son’s insights to make her decision.
– Critical healthcare decisions can be overwhelming; having a trusted family member or friend can provide the patient with additional perspectives and support in decision-making. Information overload is a real issues especially in oncology and often detectable when the eyes start to glaze over. Adult kids and/or spouses are extremely helpful to assist and guide their loved one to make decision that is in line with their personal wishes and desires.
5. Monitoring for Changes:
– Story: Mrs. Smith’s husband noticed subtle changes in her behavior that were early signs of sepsis, leading to prompt and life-saving medical intervention. The patient recovered well given the early detection prompt intervention with dialysis and iv antibiotics.
– Loved ones who are familiar with the patient’s normal behavior and condition can quickly identify and alert staff to any concerning changes.
6. Relaying Information to Other Family Members:
– Story: After each visit, Mr. Garcia, whose wife was undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer, would update their extended family, reducing the communication burden on the hospital staff.
– Having a family member at the bedside ensures accurate and consistent information is relayed and disseminated to other relatives and friends, reducing the risk of misinformation. Misinformation is truly the bane of my existence and I always prefer all patients and family members have a discussion regarding the diagnosis, prognosis, and goals of care early in the course as opposed to a last minute surprise for a family member to find out the issues.
7. Ensuring Continuity of Care:
– Story: Emily, accompanying her father through his colon cancer treatment, kept meticulous notes, ensuring continuity in care between various healthcare providers.
– Family members often help maintain a consistent care narrative, especially when multiple teams are involved. I will admit that our hospital systems are complicated with handoffs and many health care providers are coming in and out of the room at any given time. Family members can be helpful to ensure the left hand is truly talking to the right hand.
The value of having a family member or friend at the bedside of a hospitalized cancer patient cannot be overstated. They play a multifaceted role – communicator, supporter, advocate, decision facilitator, observer, and information conduit. Their presence not only aids in the holistic care of the patient but also adds a layer of compassion and understanding that is indispensable. In the complex world of cancer treatment, the simple act of being there for a loved one can make a world of difference.
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About the author
Dr. Sajeve Thomas is a distinguished medical professional and a compassionate guide in the field of oncology. With over a decade of dedicated experience as a board-certified medical oncologist/internal medicine specialist, Dr. Thomas has become a trusted expert in the treatment of melanoma, sarcoma, and gastrointestinal conditions. Currently practicing at the renowned Orlando Health Cancer Institute, he brings a wealth of expertise to the complex and challenging world of oncology.
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