The outlook for lung cancer can be particularly poor because it is often diagnosed at a late stage, tends to occur in older people who often have other medical conditions, and remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat. The average survival has increased a few months with new treatment, but is still only to about a year – way too short.
However research has shown that palliative care – which addresses the emotional, physical, practical, and spiritual issues of serious illness – can help lung cancer patients live better, longer lives.
So, how do we incorporate palliative care into our conversations with patients and families who expect us to tell them about the latest treatment, downplay its side-effects and demonstrate the tenacity with which we will fight for them and with them against this scourge? It is especially tough when 70% of people (and some of their doctors) don’t know what palliative care is, or think of it just as “end of life care” or hospice.
To explore new ways of approaching this problem, the California HealthCare Foundation and I have partnered with HxRefactored to sponsor the Decision Aid Upgrade Challenge. We’re asking designers in healthcare to use their skills to reimagine the tools used to support the conversation between providers and patients about treatment options.To know more visit our site http://allindiayellowpage.com/.