Developing an operational model for an integrative oncology program: a qualitative descriptive feasibility study

Abstract

The study was instrumental in establishing support for an integrative oncology program in our region, including a feasible model. Based in part on the results of this study, the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre ( www.oicc.ca ) opened in November 2011. We recommend a similar process of stakeholder engagement for others who wish to develop an integrative program in their location.

How does Integrative Oncology Influence Patients’ Physical and Psychosocial Outcomes, and What are Patients, Carers and Healthcare Professionals’ Experiences? An Integrative Review

“…The studies were conducted in a range of countries Australia (n=6), Canada (n=4), United States of America (USA) (n=3), Germany (n=2), Italy (n=2), and Israel (n=1), see . Three studies explored the experiences of healthcare professionals on the provision of IO 20,31,35 . Six studies compared IO services in the hospital setting 18,[36][37][38][39][40] .…”

“…Six studies compared IO services in the hospital setting 18,[36][37][38][39][40] . Three studies evaluated IO centre or services 17,35,41 and two studies examined the feasibility of incorporating IO into a conventional oncology setting 19,20 . A total of 218 IO centres were included across all studies.…”

“…CIT was self-reported to reduce fatigue and improve energy levels in patients receiving cancer treatment [30,33]. In addition, patients using CIT whilst actively receiving chemotherapy reported reduced levels of nausea and vomiting [20]. Cancer survivors perceived that CIT used as an adjuvant during and/or after their cancer treatment helped them to recover physically 21 .…”

“…One of the goals of IO is to combine the use of conventional therapies with complementary treatments to improve patient outcomes and experiences 17 . IO is a patient centred approach with an emphasis on wellness [18][19][20] . Complementary therapy is distinctly different from alternative therapy which is sometimes used instead of conventional therapy rather than in conjunction with it 17,21 .…”

“…For this review, the term Complementary Integrative Therapies (CIT) will be used to encompass the treatments and therapies offered as part of integrative oncology services in conjunction with cancer treatment. By integrating CIT with conventional cancer care in the hospital setting it is hoped that both physical and psychosocial needs of individuals can be met 20 . However, little is known about how integrative oncology centres specifically influence patients' physical (symptoms, health-related quality of life, oncological outcomes) and psychosocial (anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, coping) outcomes and the personal and social meaning attached to their experiences in such care environments 22,23 .…”