Real-world utilization of a patient-centric symptom management guide for metastatic breast cancer.

Abstract

e23403 Background: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and its treatments are associated with significant symptom burden that can negatively impact quality of life (QoL), adherence to therapies, and patient-provider communication. Individuals with MBC can be inundated with complex information during clinical encounters, and oral information retention may be limited. Although evidence-based symptom management strategies exist, many educational resources are not designed in an accessible, patient-centered format, limiting real-world use. Co-created tools may improve usability and adoption, yet evidence of sustained implementation in practice remains limited. Methods: An evidence-based symptom management MBC Guide that was co-developed with patients and healthcare providers endorsed by AONN+ has been implemented in clinical practice. Post-implementation evaluation included analysis of Viver’s ordering and reordering data, along with provider survey responses assessing utilization, satisfaction, and perceived impact. Results: Real-world data demonstrate sustained adoption in clinical practice, with > 384 total orders and > 30 reorders over the past 6 months, indicating continued use in clinical workflows. Providers reported high endorsement, with 91% reporting they were extremely or very likely to recommend the guide to other HCPs on a 10-point Likert scale. Ease of patient understanding was also rated highly, with 92% of providers stating it was easy or very easy for patients to read and understand. Providers identified the greatest impact on their practice as increasing patients’ ability to manage symptoms (44%), enhancing communication and shared decision-making (38%), and improving patient experience and QoL (18%). Additionally, 75% of providers expressed interest in a Spanish-language version. Conclusions: Sustained ordering, reordering behavior, and strong provider endorsement help to validate the patient-centric, co-created design of this MBC symptom management Guide. Post-implementation data demonstrate real-world feasibility, usability, and perceived impact on symptom self-management, provider-patient communication, and patient experience, supporting co-creation as an effective strategy for developing scalable, practice-ready educational tools. Ongoing efforts include translation into Spanish to expand reach and equity.