The Institute of Medicine has recommended that improvements are needed in\npatient-centered care. This study examined hematological cancer patients� perceptions of which\naspects of cancer care were being delivered well and areas that required improvement, and\nwhether patient characteristics, or the treatment center they attended, were associated with quality\nof patient-centered care. Participants were recruited via three Australian hematological cancer\ntreatment centers and completed a paper-and-pen survey assessing sociodemographic, disease, and\npsychological and treatment characteristics at recruitment. A second survey that contained the Quality\nof Patient-Centered Cancer Care measure was completed one month after recruitment (n = 215). The\nmost frequently delivered feature of patient-centered cancer care was hospital staff showing respect\nfor patients (91.0%). The area of care reported most commonly as not being delivered was hospital\nstaff helping the patient find other cancer patients to talk to (29.8%). Patients without depression\nreported higher perceived quality of treatment decision-making, co-ordinated and integrated care,\nemotional support, follow-up care, respectful communication, and cancer information than patients\nwith depression. The treatment center that was attended was associated only with the quality of\ncancer information patients received. Privacy issues may hinder staff connecting patients directly but\nthis could be overcome via referrals to cancer organizations that offer peer support services.
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