145. Chemo Survey Says....

A couple of weeks ago I received a survey in the mail.  It was directed from the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency to patients currently undergoing treatment, me being one of them.  The idea is for us patients to "help identify strengths, areas to improve on, and patient satisfaction with recent outpatient services provided by the SCA."  I filled out the survey and put a lot of comments with and thoughts into it.  The strength, in my opinion lies mainly with some professionals who really go out of their way to provide a service, such as, for example, the surgeon who performed the right hemicolectomy on me.  He phoned me on a regular basis up to a year after the surgery to see how I was doing.  Excellent two-way communication!  Unfortunately, he does not work directly for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency but functions more on the periphery of it.  Where the services fall short and sometimes deplorably so, is where there is a break in the communication, or worse, no communication at all.  Often patients get information about their treatment, piece by piece or have to look up information themselves.  I was never given the option by my oncologist on surgery because oncologists only concern themselves with chemo or radiation treatments.  There is no integration between the different treatment options and I as a patient feel like I am often stuck in a maze having to find a way out on my own.

If you, or someone close to you, have been under the care of the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency and have questions, comments, concerns, you can contact me to add to my list I will be sending the SCA.  Anonymously of course.  Or you can contact the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency yourself.  Now that they are in the process of collecting info, it  would be a good time to do so.  Thank You!

In addition, browsing through the famous Mayo clinic website one time, I came across a comment from a cancer patient who received treatment there.  This person was asked for feedback on the treatment and services provided to him right after the said treatment.  No wonder that this facility has such a good reputation!  They are right "on the ball"!