Identifying barriers to implementing survivorship support programs for oncology patients.

Abstract

e13872 Background: Disparities in cancer survivorship can influence the quality of life and access to resources. Understanding and addressing these disparities is critical to promoting equitable care and improving outcomes. Methods: A survey was conducted across the SKCCC from August 25 to September 25, 2024, targeting individuals who had medical oncology appointments between February and July 2024. Surveys were distributed via Epic MyChart, newsletter, paper, and QR codes. A total of 1237 responses were received. Respondents were asked to choose from the following options regarding potential barriers to attending support programs: no barriers, already receiving similar services, financial constraints, health-related issues, lack of knowledge of programs offered, need for physician approval, time constraints, travel issues, other, and/or lack of interest. Patients were able to choose multiple options, if applicable. Results: The most common identified barriers were lack of knowledge of programs offered (19.1%), travel issues (18.9%), and time constraints (13.3%). Notably, 10.4% of respondents endorsed financial constraints, and 7.35% cited health-related issues to be a barrier. Only 0.7% of respondents chose the need for physician approval to be a barrier, and 7.8% of patients cited lack of interest to be a barrier. 1.7% of patients stated that they already receive similar services. Conclusions: The survey results reveal key barriers impacting access to survivorship programs, emphasizing areas for improvement to ensure equitable access. The most commonly reported barrier was a lack of knowledge about available programs, suggesting a critical need for enhanced communication and outreach efforts to raise awareness among patients. Travel issues and time constraints were also significant obstacles, indicating the importance of addressing logistical challenges through strategies such as virtual services and flexible scheduling. These results also underscore the need for programs that offer financial support, transportation assistance, and services tailored to patients with health limitations. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of reducing barriers to survivorship care by improving program visibility, addressing logistical and financial challenges, and tailoring services to meet diverse patient needs. Targeted interventions and collaboration between providers and community partners can help bridge gaps and ensure all survivors have access to comprehensive, supportive care. Reported barriers to survivorship care amongst surveyed oncology patients. Barrier to Survivorship Care Percentage of Respondents at SKCCC Already Received Similar Services 1.70% Financial Constraints 10.40% Health-related Issues 7.35% Lack of Knowledge of Programs Offered 19.10% Need for Physician Approval 0.70% Time Constraints 13.30% Travel Issues 18.90% Not Interested 7.80% Other 5.01%