Most people think that caring for a lung cancer patient is hands-on bedside care, but it’s more than that. We can also do all of this.
Being a good decision maker for treatment
Decisions about lung cancer treatment need to be made by doctors, patients, and families. And making good decisions starts with understanding how to maintain health, how to do tests and treatments, what side effects and symptoms treatment can have, and many patients want to know how to handle their mood swings. With this information clearly understood, patients and families are better able to work with their doctors to make treatment decisions.
This information can be obtained in a variety of ways, such as: searching the Internet for authoritative information about cancer and its treatment; turning to leading experts in lung cancer to verify information provided by doctors; learning about other treatments, complementary or alternative therapies; and seeking advice from family and friends.
Of course, information obtained from outside sources is inevitably wrong, and some may even differ from what your doctor says, so it is important to have reliable sources and to communicate with your doctor in a timely manner. Good sources include medical journal articles in libraries or popular science information, as well as medical information from government agencies, formal cancer treatment centers, and related organizations.
Being a good patient advocate
Family members understand the real needs of patients and the information they can provide to health care providers about their symptoms, feelings, and mood changes, which can help doctors better develop treatment plans that will increase patients’ chances of recovery and improve their quality of life to a greater extent.
To be a good “advocate” for the patient, family members need to do the following:
- Communicate with the healthcare team about the patient’s needs;
- Search for information that may be hard to find;
- Find the right doctors and specialists;
- Observing patients for changes and problems;
- Helping patients follow up on their treatment;
- give feedback on any symptoms or side effects that occur and ask the doctor for help;
- Helping patients work toward better health and maintain a healthy lifestyle;
- Paying bills and processing health insurance settlements and insurance claims.
Being a good bridge of communication
Good communication between physicians, patients and families can improve patient health and medical conditions. Family members often need to take on the role of being a voice for the patient, ideally while involving the patient in decision-making. Only good communication between the two parties can help healthcare professionals get the information they need to treat them. Doctors need to understand the patient’s concerns and families need to understand the disease and treatment options. Poor communication can lead to confusion about treatment, which in turn can affect the physician’s treatment choices and the patient’s recovery.
During the treatment process, some family members may conceal their illness from the patient, while others may tell the patient the truth, and these also need to be communicated to the health care provider so that the provider has as much information as possible to complete the entire treatment process with full communication between the two parties.
Co-reviewed by: Dr. Kai Yin, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital Guangdong Provincial Lung Cancer Institute
Wang Zhen (Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital)