Outpatient Cancer Care: The Benefits, Limitations, and How Concierge Care Helps

Limitations of Outpatient Oncology

During cancer treatment, the importance of treating the “whole” patient cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, however, the outpatient model usually doesn’t lend itself to the in-depth and targeted exploration of each patient’s individual mental health and quality-of-life concerns. While outpatient care certainly has its advantages, such as less time spent in the hospital and generally less cost on average, it also has some significant limitations.

Everyday Quality-of-Life Issues and Stress Management Limitations

There are a breadth of issues cancer patients experience that, while certainly connected with their diagnosis, go beyond its actual immediate treatment. These can include all manner of factors, including adopting proper eating habits to fertility issues to declines in mental health to concerns over their careers and many more. Unfortunately, there is an established and growing body of research that indicates that outpatient treatment is falling short of effectively engaging patients in addressing these concerns.

Data from the National Cancer Institute indicates that many outpatient cancer patients may not have adequate access to adequate nutritional management or a properly developed framework for proper meal planning.

Additional NIH-funded research indicates that patients struggling with cancer and other chronic conditions often lack adequate resources when it comes to a full range of issues, including but not limited to stress management, diet and nutrition, and logistical support (such as insurance, paying for treatment, inadequate social support, etc.). Patients surveyed as part of this study also revealed that despite the adverse effects of the psychosocial problems described above, these problems are not well addressed as part of their oncology care.

How Can Concierge Care Pick Up Where Outpatient Cancer Care Leaves Off?

One of the fundamental pillars of the Concierge Care® model is the assertion that each and every patient is different and comes with their own unique set of care and lifestyle needs. The reality of the outpatient care visit, in oncology and every other disease state, is that the time restrictions imposed during in-person provider engagement don’t allow nearly enough time to focus on every single possible area with which patients might be struggling. Even the most ardent care advocates can’t possibly think to write down every single question to ask during appointments.

To compound the issue, no single care provider will be able to cover every area of concern for patients who are experiencing multiple areas of stress. There is also a glaring need to engage patients spontaneously when they’re having moments of crisis, as well as on an ongoing basis in their lived environments.

Personal Concierge™ has been instrumental in helping improve treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients struggling with various types of cancer. Through a comprehensive and intuitive framework of support delivered through mobile text messaging and other forms of technology, we have worked with multiple cancer treatment providers to engage oncology patients in their lived environments so they can get the care and support they need beyond the traditional outpatient visit model. Our Oncology Personal Concierge™ Program addresses common issues that lead to escalation, including extreme distress, sadness, depression, fatigue caused by anxiety, and more. The program has resulted in thousands of patients getting the in-the-moment support they need as a supplement to their outpatient clinical care while also helping care providers better engage with the patients they serve. The program also includes a distress survey that screens patients regularly for signs of stress or distress, triaging responses with appropriate support and follow-up, and escalating to the clinical care team as needed, reducing adverse events.