Medical and sociological assessment of patients' opinions on the state of the oncological service in the Moscow region and suggestions for its improvement

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Oncological diseases are one of the leading causes of death in the world, which determines the fundamental importance of efforts to improve measures aimed at early detection of oncopathology in the population. The strategy for the development of oncological medical care includes the implementation of a wide range of measures to improve the therapeutic and diagnostic, organizational, personnel, technological, and other components of the activities of a specialized oncological medical service aimed at early detection of diseases, reducing mortality and improving the quality of life of patients. AIM: The study of patients' opinions on various components of the oncological service of the Moscow region. METHODS: The medical and sociological study "Analysis of patients' opinions on the state of the oncological service of the region and proposals for its optimization" was implemented in 2022 on the basis of the Moscow Regional Research and Clinical Institute. The research method was a questionnaire survey, the sample included 369 patients with oncological diseases who were treated at the clinic. RESULTS: The study revealed a fairly high level of satisfaction with medical care for patients with oncological diseases, showed the need to strengthen the personnel and logistical component of its activities, as well as the formed request for optimizing patient routing algorithms during treatment and strengthening the humanistic component of the regional health system. CONCLUSION: Oncological diseases are not only a medical problem, the solution of which requires significant financial, personnel, and organizational resources, but also a special area of social interaction in the professional space of medicine. This determines the need for regular monitoring of patients' opinions on the quality of medical care and related social aspects in its provision, expansion of information and preventive work with the population, as well as strengthening the social component — first of all, supporting communication between a doctor and a patient in oncological practice.