To provide quality team-based care for patients and families, the formation of a patient-centered collaborative care unit is necessary. The symposium therefore aims to have women with breast cancer experience being the “main player” of team-based medical care, to participate from the planning stage as organizing committee members and to work with them to incorporate patient needs. The process is as follows:
1) Meeting and sharing with women who have experienced breast cancer
The objectives and aims of the COE program and International Relay Symposia were explained to all participants of the support program for breast cancer patients held by St. Luke’s College of Nursing to recruit cooperative members for the planning committee.
Two women who had experienced breast cancer volunteered to help, and thus joined as members. The agenda, program, and approach of the symposium were discussed with the two women over several meetings.
Finally, an interactive symposium, unique amongst symposia designed by healthcare professionals, as well as a concert to share the symposium theme with participants, “Messages of Sound and Words” were
planned. Promotion leaflet for the 4th symposium
3
Promoting Collaboration Between the Public
and Healthcare Experts 2
3) Knowing the medical needs of participants The symposium was started by asking participants,
“Let’s think about team-based care together.” In response to the question “Do you feel that you are part of the medical care team when receiving treatment in the current medical care system?” about 85%
replied, “No.” On the other hand, in response to the question “When deciding on your treatment, would you like to participate in a team conference conducted by the medical providers?” most of the participants demonstrated a strong response of ,“Yes.”
4) Learning from team-based care of the US During the symposium, Dr. Naoto Ueno, Associate Professor of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the US, gave a lecture on the topic
“Status quo of patient-centered team-based medical care and clues to future progress,” discussing the transition of team-based care in the US, how teams are actually formed, and advantages of team-based care while comparing with the case of Japan. He indicated the basics of team-based care: “The attitude of providing medical care aiming at patient satisfaction is very important in doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers. Particularly, co-medicals such as nurses and pharmacists should have common specialist knowledge to provide quality team-based care,” “patients should make an effort to acquire knowledge on their illness, and adverse effects of medications instead of just knowing the name of their illness,” and “doctors are human and can be wrong sometimes. It is therefore important for them to know their own limits and try not to discourage co-medical staff.”
5) Breast cancer team-based care aimed jointly by patients and healthcare providers
During the symposium, Dr. Kumi Suzuki of the Research Center for Development of Nursing Practice, St. Luke’s College of Nursing spoke from the nurses' standpoint about the current situation of breast cancer and treatment in Japan, the need for team-based medical care, and the role of the nurse in the team. Dr.
Seigo Nakamura, director of St. Luke’s International Hospital Breast Center, emphasized the importance of division and integration of medical care based on the daily clinical practice. He discussed that medical accidents can be prevented and better quality care can be provided if independent medical providers fulfill their roles with the focus on patients. Speaking on the behalf of patients, Ms. Yoko Hatano, a participant of the breast cancer support program, indicated the importance of the role of healthcare providers who 2) Enriching symposium agenda by participation
of volunteers
The planned concert “Messages of Sounds and Words”
consisted of a poetry reading and harp performance.
Four poems were chosen by the women with breast cancer experience from the poetry collection of Shuntaro Tanikawa: “To be Alive,” “Nothing,”
“Morning,” and “Tomorrow.” The songs and program of the harp performance were planned with the help of concert volunteers to match the poems. The planning and preparation of the symbol quilt were carried out with the cooperation of the Japan Handicraft Instructor’s Association Quilt Leaders Tokyo and women who experienced breast cancer. Each participant was asked to write a message on a pink ribbon, the symbol of the campaign to wipe out breast cancer, and these ribbons were tied to the heart of the quilt to complete one symbol quilt (Photo 1).
Photo 1. Symbol quilt
support the making of treatment choices and clarified the need for team-based care supporting patient treatment and daily life as a system, during discussions with the symposium chairperson and Dr. Nakamura.
There were proposals for appointing administrators (not necessarily a doctor) to serve as the liaison to patients requiring advice, and relay the questions of these patients to the appropriate doctor.
After presentations by the three symposists, Ms. Joyce Newman, an advanced practice nurse at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in the US specifically discussed the education of advanced practice nurses in the US and roles of nurses in team-based care as a commentator. Given that nurses in particular play the role of speaking up for patients, she said nurses have the important role of providing support to enable patients to ask more questions to doctors. The active discussions successfully provided hints on how to promote team-based care such as (1) the basis of team-based care lies in communication, and patients should also learn how to convey their conditions clearly, (2) efforts should be made to enable patient doubts and concerns to be resolved, and to this aim, co-medicals should try to accumulate technical knowledge and expand their role, and (3) it is important to build resources for patients to promote self-care, including their families.
The 4th COE international relay symposium