Journey Forward: For Oncology Professionals

Survivorship Toolkit

During your patients’ cancer treatment, you're their lifeline. For them, it is a time with many questions. Your care gives your patients the hope and opportunity to live…to become a Survivor. Unfortunately, many of these patients feel that once active care is complete, they are on their own. During treatment, they were surrounded by constant care from you and your team, but now they are alone with questions about what's next. That's why Journey Forward was created. It addresses the need for better post-treatment coordination and communication between Survivors and their healthcare providers.

A recent article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology identified post-treatment cancer care as an essential, but missing step, in a patient’s cancer journey. The Institute of Medicine* identified four essential components of survivorship care: Prevention of recurrent and new cancers, and other late effects; surveillance for cancer and assessment of medical and psychosocial late effects; intervention for consequences of cancer and its treatment; and coordination between specialists and primary care providers to ensure all the survivor’s health needs are met.

We know from qualitative research conducted while developing Journey Forward that the majority of primary care physicians and virtually all cancer Survivors want a Survivorship Care Plan to improve their care. Survivors need to be assured the quality care they received during active treatment will continue. Journey Forward can help Survivors know what’s next and what to expect. This is a hopeful time for cancer Survivors. Journey Forward can help you bridge your excellent care for patients as they begin to reconstruct their lives and move forward.

*Hewitt, Maria (2005) et al. From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition. National Academy of Sciences.