Dana-Farber's New Model Emphasizes the Vital Link Between Mental and Physical Health for Those Facing Cancer: A lump felt in the shower. Weight loss. Night sweats. The anticipation — refreshing the portal for results, awaiting a phone call, wondering if your life will change in an instant. A cancer diagnosis can trigger anxiety, depression, even existential distress. But treatment is often initially geared to physical symptoms, such as chemotherapy and radiation. At Dana-Farber, mental health care receives equal attention. Now, through a new Supportive Oncology Collaborative, that care will be more fully integrated into the patient experience.
Drawing from Dana-Farber's long tradition of psychosocial oncology, the Supportive Oncology Collaborative is a model designed to improve access to supportive care for cancer patients, particularly those in underserved populations. It integrates various disciplines, including social work, psychiatry, psychology, and palliative care, into a cohesive team that coordinates to meet cancer patients' unique mental and physical needs. Instead of seeing many different providers at various offices, care is streamlined through an oncology social worker and assessed at weekly cross-disciplinary meetings.
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