Commission on Cancer requires survivorship care plans to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life

The number of people living with and beyond cancer is growing. These survivors present new challenges for healthcare providers as they bring unique physical and psychosocial challenges.

The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a program of the American College of Surgeons, and the National Academy of Medicine, formerly known as the Institute of Medicine, require that survivorship care plans be provided to patients once they complete cancer treatment. The plans offer direction to future providers, as well as their primary providers, in supporting patients’ health.

The requirement has been gradually rolled out over five years. As of December 31, 2018, the CoC requires a minimum of 75 percent of eligible patients receive survivorship care plans.

According to the CoC, “Cancer programs must develop and implement processes to monitor the formation and dissemination of a survivorship care plan for analytic cases with stage I, II or III cancers that are treated with curative intent for initial cancer occurrence and who have completed active therapy.”

Survivorship care plans are being given to eligible patients and are listed as “Oncology Treatment Summary” within the problem list. Upon completion, plans are routed to patients’ NCH primary providers through Epic.

Learn more about survivorship care plans

• “The CoC clarifies the survivorship care plan standard: What you need to know,” The Advisory Board Company
• Poster presentation: “The Commission on Cancer Survivorship Care Plan, Standard 3.3: Implementation Is Underway,” Nina Miller, MSSW, OSW-C, American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer
• Cancer Program Standards (2016 Edition), American College of Surgeons

For questions about your patients’ survivorship care plans, contact Cancer Services at 847-618-6660.