1. The Role of CIS in Enabling Informed Decision Making Marion E. Morra, M.A. Montreal 2012

2. Need for Informed Decision Making in Cancer Importance Patients, family members need information Right questions to ask Challenging Complex medical information Uncertainty regarding disease its treatments and their outcomes

3. Benefits of Informed Decision Making in Cancer Benefits both patients and health professionals Compromises care delivery and patient satisfaction (Back AL, Arnold RM, Tulsky JA et al. Teaching communication skills to medical oncology fellows. JClinc Oncol 21:2433-2436) Relationship between quality of physician- patient communication and variety of outcomes, including Symptom management, adherence to treatment, accrual to clinical trials (Perocchia FS, Kodorowski JK, Williams LA, et al. Patient Centered Communication in Cancer Care: Role of the CIS. J Cancer Education DOI; 10.1007/s13187- 010-0121-y)

4. Other Providers of Information Impact care and health outcomes Play pivotal role in decision making Facilitate access to information Provide decision aids and other resources Preserve patient-doctor relationship

5. Cancer Information Service (CIS) as a Provider One-on-one personalized interaction with trained information specialist (phone, e-mail, social media) Provides evidence-based, up to date information; not medical advice Supports doctor-patient relationship Helps patient, family members understand and make decisions based on his/her preferences and values

6. Lessons we’ve learned It’s a small, small world … sharing best practices and expertise Well-trained staff who can give credible, accurate, up to date information Opportunity for patients and family members to share fears and doubts with someone who can listen and answer their questions Working side by side with health professionals

7. Lessons learned Measuring quality is essential, external and internal External: Satisfaction and actions, patients, families Internal performance measures – Meeting caller’s needs – Information: accurate, complete, address caller’s needs, concerns

8. Lessons learned Assessment: complete, tailored to the caller’s needs and questions Caller’s understanding: checked? Technical terms explained? Organization: information communicated in an organized, logical manner? In a professional, credible, empathetic way?

9. Resources Marion Morra: morram@earthlink.netmorram@earthlink.net ICISG e-mail: info@icisg.orginfo@icisg.org ICISG Website: www.icisg.orgwww.icisg.org Tool box for program operations Using social media in Cancer Information Services