Journey Forward Addresses Post-Treatment Needs of Cancer Survivors
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The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) is proud to be part of a new program providing tools and resources that pave the way for survivors and their physicians to build individualized plans of follow-up care after cancer treatment.
NEW! Journey Forward is now available for survivors of all cancers. Read the press release to learn more.
Journey Forward, a combined effort of NCCS, WellPoint, Inc., the UCLA Cancer Survivorship Center and Genentech – launched in February 2009 in five pilot states for survivors of breast and colon cancers and will later include plans for survivors of other cancer types throughout the country. Read the Journey Forward launch news release.
The program promotes the use of treatment summaries and follow-up plans that give clear steps for care and monitoring after active cancer treatment. Journey Forward’s custom-made Survivorship Care Plan Builder is available for use by any oncologist. In addition, Journey Forward offers an electronic Medical History Builder where patients can record their health history in a format that makes changes easy and avoids the need to fill out medical history forms repeatedly.
Cancer changes a person’s healthcare needs forever, and NCCS believes every person with cancer should receive written care plans and summaries that follows them from the time they are diagnosed through all their years of their survivorship. These plans can help survivors and their loved ones understand their cancer treatment and follow-up needs. They put survivors in a better position to advocate for themselves, monitor their health, and participate in decisions about their future care – not just their cancer treatment and its side effects, but also their social and emotional needs. Cancer care plans are an essential component of quality cancer care.
The Journey Forward program was inspired by recommendations in the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) November 2005 report on adult cancer survivorship, “Lost in Transition: From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor,” which concluded that there is currently no system of coordinated follow-up care for cancer survivors in the United States. Upon completing treatment, many cancer survivors are left with questions, such as “What’s next? Who is in charge of my care now? How do I know if my cancer returns? What should I look for? What should my other doctors know about my cancer?”
Resources
Journey Forward Web site
New program offering materials for both patients and physicians, including an electronic Survivorship Care Plan Builder for the doctor and electronic Medical History Builder for patients.
Institute of Medicine (IOM) Fact Sheet
A fact sheet pulled from the November 2005 report on adult cancer survivorship, “Lost in Transition: From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor” that inspired Journey Forward and other survivorship care plan programs.
Teamwork: The Cancer Patient’s Guide to Talking With Your Doctor
An NCCS publication that teaches survivors and their loved ones how to best address their concerns with their doctors and other members of their healthcare team. Knowing how to approach your doctor is the first step in asking for a survivorship care plan.
Living Beyond Cancer - Cancer Survival Toolbox® module
An online audio module that helps people develop the skills needed to adapt to life after cancer treatment.
NCCS Cancer Care Planning Brochure
A new NCCS publication outlining why survivorship care plans are so important and resources to help you build a customized plan that meets your needs.
