Quality of care in the oncological outpatient setting: Individual interviews with people receiving cancer treatment

Abstract

Purpose: To describe how patients receiving cancer treatment perceive quality of care in the oncological outpatient settings.

Method: A strategic sample of 20 adult patients with cancer treated in four oncological outpatient settings in four hospitals in Sweden participated in the study. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions. The interviews were audio-recorded, and the transcripts were analysed using a phenomenographic approach.

Results: Three descriptive categories emerged from the data: The patient's care is designed to meet individual needs, The patient's dignity is respected, and The patient feels safe and secure with the care. Overall, quality of care in the oncological outpatient setting is perceived as something positive and described in normative terms by the participants.

Conclusion: The results emphasises that in order to achieve quality of care it is important to the patients that they are able to meet with the same well-educated, professional, caring and sensible health care professionals every time.

Keywords: Cancer care unit; Cancer patient; Interview; Oncologic care; Outpatients; Patient perspective; Phenomenography; Quality of care.