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BRIDGING THE GAP: IMPROVING PATIENT-PROVIDER COMMUNICATION IN FOREGUT CANCER
Ioannis Liapis
*1, Jaspinder S. Sanghera
1, Michelle Holland
1, Alfonsus Adrian H. Harsono
1, Katie West
2, Krista Mehari
3, Smita Bhatia
1, Martin Heslin
1, Annabelle L. Fonseca
11Surgical Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; 2University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL; 3Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Introduction Effective communication between the healthcare team, patients and their caregivers is fundamental to shared decision-making and patient autonomy. However, the barriers and facilitators to optimal communication between patients/ caregivers and their providers remains unknown. This qualitative study aims to identify barriers and facilitators to optimal communication from the perspectives of patients and their caregivers.
Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with foregut cancer patients and caregivers at a safety-net hospital and tertiary care center in the Southeastern United States. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analyzed by three co-authors using inductive thematic and content analysis with NVivo 14 software. The intercoder agreement was above 90%.
Results A total of 30 patients and 15 caregivers participated. Four key themes emerged (Table 1): (1) Ease of access to the cancer care team, (2) Provider engagement and validation, (3) Quality and quantity of communication, and (4) Being adequately informed.
Conclusion Clear, empathetic and consistent communication is crucial for building strong patient- physician relationships and supporting shared decision-making. Addressing the identified barriers and reinforcing facilitators can lead to more informed patients and caregivers, align treatment plans with patient goals and enhance overall quality of care. Insights gained will inform strategies to enhance communication and improve patient-centered care.
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