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Patient satisfaction with the role of a Clinical Specialist Radiation Therapist in palliative care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 May 2017

Natalie Rozanec ,
Sandra Smith ,
Woodrow Wells ,
Elen Moyo ,
Laura Zychla  and
Nicole Harnett
Natalie Rozanec*
Affiliation:
Southlake Regional Health Centre, Newmarket, ON, Canada Sheffield Hallam University, Howard St, Sheffield, UK
Sandra Smith
Affiliation:
Southlake Regional Health Centre, Newmarket, ON, Canada
Woodrow Wells
Affiliation:
Southlake Regional Health Centre, Newmarket, ON, Canada University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Elen Moyo
Affiliation:
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Laura Zychla
Affiliation:
Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, ON, Canada Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
Nicole Harnett
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada. Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada
*
Correspondence to: Natalie Rozanec, MRT(T), Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist, Radiation Therapy Department, Southlake Regional Health Centre, 596 Davis Drive, Newmarket, ON, Canada L3Y 2P9. Tel: (905) 895-4521. E-mail: nrozanec@southlakeregional.org
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Abstract

Aim

To examine patient satisfaction with a Clinical Specialist Radiation Therapist (CSRT) in a palliative radiotherapy clinical environment.

Materials and methods

A one-point dissemination design captured satisfaction scores from patients who did (n=19) and did not (n=14) receive palliative care from the CSRT. The ‘Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire’ included six common questions and four additional questions for patients seen by a CSRT. T-tests compared results from common questions and mean values, standard deviations were also calculated.

Results

For questions ‘I was told everything that I want to know about my condition’ and ‘I felt that the problem that I came with was sorted out properly’, those who received care from the CSRT scored significantly (p<0·05) higher than those that did not (p=0·033, 0·037). For CSRT-specific questions, 89% of participants felt the experience with the CSRT was excellent, 78% strongly agreed/agreed having a CSRT on the care team was important, and 89% of participants strongly agreed/agreed having a CSRT on the care team was important to patients’ understanding of treatment.

Findings

Patients receiving care from the CSRT had better understanding of treatment and an excellent experience with the CSRT. This interaction provided more opportunities to address patient questions/concerns, thus alleviating patient anxiety, increasing satisfaction with care, and demonstrating how new roles can develop new models of care within the current healthcare system.

Keywords

clinical specialist radiation therapistpalliationpatient satisfactionradiation therapy
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , September 2017 , pp. 226 - 231
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Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2017 

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