Survivorship Program

Cancer Survivorship Program

LEANN NOAKES, RN III, CCRP, Cancer Navigator

In January 2020, the Commission on Cancer (COC) released new accreditation standards. Standard 4.8 is ‘A Survivorship Program’, which is a phase in standard, meaning cancer centers have a one year period to get a Survivorship program up and running. The cancer committee at Pardee UNC Health Care appointed a Survivorship Program Coordinator in February 2020 and developed a Survivorship Team, which consists of a physician, nurse navigator and cancer registrar as well as representatives for rehabilitation and nutrition services and patient financial services. This team determines a list of services and programs which address the barriers and needs of our cancer survivors and reports the data to the cancer committee.

The following survivorship program services are offered at Pardee: • Treatment summaries / Survivorship care plans • Screening programs for new cancers and recurrences • Rehabilitation services • Nutritional services • Psychological support and psychiatric services • Support groups and services • Seminars for survivors • Physical activity programs • Financial support services • Formalized referrals to experts in cardiology, pulmonary services, sexual dysfunction and fertility counseling

The survivorship program team will be reporting out data to the cancer committee on our screening programs for new cancers and recurrences, as well as our referrals to rehabilitation and nutrition services. Although we are not collecting the data on survivorship care plans this year, the cancer navigators are continuing to develop the care plans and review them with each patient who has completed definitive treatment. The survivorship care plan contains information on the patient’s care team, diagnosis including stage, treatments received for this diagnosis, recommended follow up care and local or online resources.

Pardee Cancer Center, in collaboration with Pardee @Work business and industry services, offers cancer screening to the community. We have offered free skin screenings, a prostate screening, and in the past, a head and neck screening. Our screening data will include our public screening as well as the number of patients who are sent for colonoscopies, mammograms, low dose lung CT and follow-up scans for patients with a cancer diagnosis, as well as patients who are being evaluated for a cancer reoccurrence.

Patients with a cancer diagnosis who are in active treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or after a surgery are at higher risk of developing issues with weight loss, changes in appetite, loss of energy, and decrease in strength and muscle mass. These patients are screened often by physicians, navigators, nurses, or dietitian for the need for rehabilitation and nutrition services. Pardee has oncology-certified dietitians who are able to see our patients at the center while they are receiving their treatment. Pardee also has a wonderful rehabilitation program that can help our patients increase their quality of life.

The Survivorship Program will continue to assess the needs of our patients at the cancer center as well as our community to enhance our current services and develop new services to better assist our patients during their cancer journey. 