Monitoring the Patient Monitoring involves the same issues that are covered during the screening and assessment of the cancer patient. Monitoring allows for timely alteration of treatment and management of symptoms. Monitoring helps to keep the patient who is in an anabolic state in a position to better deal with the stress of cancer and its therapies. Tools have been created to minimize the time spent on screening, assessing, and monitoring patients. The PGA-SGA is a questionnaire that includes screening, assessing, and monitoring techniques.
Patients can fill out their section in the waiting room.
The professional section can may be completed by a dietitian, nurse, or physician. Once patients and clinicans are familiar with the form, using it adds only one or two minutes to a visit. Addressing the nutritional status of a cancer patient can help move that patient from a catabolic state to an anabolic status, which may help the patient to better deal with cancer and treatment. The screening tool should address weight changes, dietary intake, and activity level. Assessment of the patient should include weight changes and weight history, dietary intake, problems associated with eating, functional capacity, and metabolic stressors.