Supportive Cancer Care Networkers (SCAN)
Condition: Colorectal Cancer; Chemotherapy
MeSH terms: Colorectal Neoplasms
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Aim of the study is to increase the proportion of indicated patients with colorectal cancer
      undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy following surgical resection through an optimized symptom
      management and logistical support.
    

Detailed description: 
      Patients with colorectal cancer in Germany today are exposed to several Problems related to
      care continuity and access to health care professionals. In order to increase the utilization
      of adjuvant therapies, patients in the intervention group are offered an additional nursing
      intervention in the period between discharge after inpatient treatment and the beginning of
      adjuvant therapy. This includes a telephone follow-up conducted according to guidelines
      serving to disclose patients' current supportive needs in order to determine potential
      intervention approaches as early as possible. Hence, the intervention aims to motivate
      patients not to discontinue the treatment. An early detection of therapy-related physical and
      psychological impairments aims at optimizing treatment management.

      Patients in the intervention group therefore are visited by nursing staff specialized in
      cancer care (Supportive Cancer Care Networkers, SCAN) during their in-patient stay and are
      informed about the intervention. An assignment for the SCAN is to support patients in getting
      access to health care services (e.g. specialists). Patients are given certain information, as
      for example contact to specialists, voluntary services and the next steps and appointments of
      the treatment plan are discussed. Within a consultation at the day before hospital discharge,
      the SCAN takes up the contact information and appoints weekly telephone consultations for the
      time up to the adjuvant therapy. The SCAN hands out information materials and explains the
      study documents, as for example patient-held records (PHR) in order to improve therapy
      compliance.
    

Intervention name(s): SCAN
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The Supportive Cancer Care Networkers intervention (SCAN) consists of an additional telephone support and symptom-related out-patient care management through Oncology Nursing. The SCAN intervention assesses patients' resources and barriers in utilizing health care services in order to meet their individual needs adequately and supports maintenance of therapy compliance. Thus, the SCAN offers a comprehensive mirroring the patients' medical and psychosocial care needs across changing sectors of health care.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Colorectal Neoplasms/*drug therapy/*secondary; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Supportive Care Needs; Psychooncology; Rural Population; Primary Health Care/*methods; Treatment Outcome; Socioeconomic Factors; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Quality of Life; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over