Blood cancer patients in Switzerland
19. Dez 2024
High satisfaction with quality of care, need to catch up on information and communication.
Patients suffering from leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma are generally satisfied with the quality of care in Switzerland. They are treated with respect in hospital and are grateful for the excellent Swiss healthcare system and the commitment of healthcare professionals. There is a need to catch up when it comes to information about the long-term consequences of cancer treatment or the financial impact of cancer.
This is shown by a survey of a total of 1126 cancer patients from 23 Swiss hospitals - carried out by a team from Unisanté in Lausanne on behalf of Hopos. The analysis is based on data from the Swiss Cancer Patient Experiences (SCAPE-CH) survey in 2023, the most comprehensive study on patient-reported experiences with cancer care in Switzerland.
“Until now, little has been known about the specific challenges faced by people with blood cancer,” says Stephan Schobinger, President of Hopos, the umbrella organization of oncology patient organizations in Switzerland. “That's why Hopos commissioned this specific analysis of the Scape data.” Only the data of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma patients were examined in this analysis.
The most important results of the study:
- High level of satisfaction: overall, patients gave their care a score of 9.1 out of 10 and praised the excellence of care and competence of doctors and nursing staff.
- Respect, empathy and comprehensible information on illnesses were particularly appreciated. Trust in doctors and nursing staff is high.
- The long-term trend is also positive. The SCAPE survey has been conducted three times so far, in 2018, 2021 and 2023. The vast majority of factors have developed positively in these years. For example, the responses show that healthcare professionals now take more time to answer blood cancer patients' questions and address their fears. More patients have also received information about patient organizations and they state that they have received more comprehensible information about their disease.
The positive development is also reflected in the many comments that patients left at the end of the survey, for example: “I particularly appreciate the fact that my doctor always has enough time for me. She is empathetic and responds to my questions and fears. I feel that I am taken seriously.”
However, there are also various points where there is a need to catch up:
- For example, almost half of the patients reported that they had not received enough information about the long-term consequences of treatments and also not enough support on how to deal with these better.
- Many patients did not know that they could take relatives or friends with them to important medical appointments (e.g. for the announcement of the diagnosis).
- Many patients did not receive a care plan outlining their needs and how they will be supported.
- Communication issues also led to negative experiences for some patients. In particular, communication within the various hospital departments or between doctors was criticized. One patient's feedback: “Communication between urology, oncology and radiology was sometimes difficult.”
Financial burden
The study also shows the enormous financial burden that a blood cancer disease can entail. Many patients have questions regarding inability to work, protection against dismissal, integration, etc. More than a quarter of those surveyed stated that they had to accept financial losses due to cancer, and one in five people feared losing their job or income due to cancer. Younger patients and women are particularly affected. Less than six out of ten respondents stated that they had received the necessary information on these issues.
“On the one hand, our study shows that blood cancer patients in Switzerland generally receive good care and are satisfied. Special thanks go to the medical profession and the nursing staff,” says Stephan Schobinger. “However, there are still various points where patients could be better supported. We at Hopos will be working to improve this in the coming years.”