Kat McTaggart has been using and benefiting from patient engagement tools in cancer care since 2023 when she was a QEII patient.
For 30 consecutive days in May 2023, Kat McTaggart visited the QEII Health Sciences Centre for radiation treatment. A preventative measure following surgery to remove a brain tumour a few months prior.
“The days can become blurred when you’re undergoing treatment, and feeling sick and fatigued, or, perhaps just trying to heal,” recalls Kat.
Her family, friends and network were an incredible support system. But Kat also had access to another resource that helped her: a new digital patient engagement tool available to patients undergoing radiation in Nova Scotia.
Patient engagement tools are designed to allow patients to participate in their care by reporting symptoms and overall well-being. They can also create a better flow of information between patients and their care team, while providing resources like educational materials and videos.
For Kat, it made her feel that she was not on her own during treatment and beyond.
“The tool creates a connection and helps reassure me. It lets me know that I’m not alone and that I haven’t been forgotten. That’s the power of it,” says Kat, who continues to use the patient engagement tool today as she continues her care journey.
“When a patient is at home wondering, ‘Is this symptom normal?’ imagine the relief to be able to report that symptom and have a real-time response to determine: Do I need to be seen today? Do I need to go to the emergency department? Or can it wait until my next appointment?”
According to QEII cancer care experts, patient engagement tools put a patient’s voice at the centre of their care.
“Better communication between a patient and their healthcare team can improve their quality of life, and in some cases, improve survival rates,” says Dr. Amanda Caissie, a QEII radiation oncologist, head of radiation oncology, Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program, and medical director of the Oncology Transformation Project.
“The sooner a patient reports a symptom, the sooner a member of their care team can catch and address issues earlier.”
INNOVATIVE CANCER CARE
Kat was one of the first patient engagement users in 2023 as the digital tool was still in the pilot phase. Since then, the Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program has been working to enhance the tool to go beyond standard of care and find innovative ways to meet patient needs.
As cancer rates in Nova Scotia and across Canada continue to increase, the need for new and innovative approaches to cancer care delivery for patients is crucial.
That’s why the QEII Foundation is raising $1.1 million to ensure the tool is being used to its full potential. Donor support will unlock new possibilities, including more personalized resources and a real-time virtual connection to their cancer care team.
Enhancing patient engagement tools means that patients can access care beyond a clinical setting that can ease their worry and benefit their overall health and well-being.
For a patient living in a remote or rural community in Nova Scotia, this could help reduce unnecessary emergency visits if they have a way to share their symptoms with their care team from their home.
Donor funds will enable healthcare leaders in the Cancer Care Program to continue to lead research and community engagement to identify the unique needs of patients living with cancer in Nova Scotia, ensuring the patient engagement tool is designed by Nova Scotians for Nova Scotians.
“As one of the first users in Nova Scotia, QEII cancer care experts invited me to have my say in how the tool worked for patients. And they want to do more of this work in the community. Donor support will help take cancer care tailored to each patient to the next level and put a patient’s voice at the centre of their care,” says Kat.
You can help make cancer care more accessible for patients — creating a real-time, virtual connection with cancer care teams that will have a positive impact on care delivery and patient health outcomes.
Learn more or donate: QE2Foundation.ca/patient-engagement
