Dr Maryam Lustberg with Dr Jyoti Bajpai
With modern cancer care focusing on treating the person and not just the cancer, and enabling patients to make informed decisions, the question is: how do busy centers evolve this from theory into practice?
Patient-centered care revolves around the principles of personalized care, having an open dialogue, patients advocating for themselves, and shared decision making between the patient and clinician. Clinicians are there to inform and guide the patient through the treatment and care processes, ensuring that they can make informed decisions both during their cancer treatment and into survivorship. Holistic care takes into account the multidimensional needs of a patient as a person, balancing clinical practice with respecting their decisions, even if it challenges the clinician’s experience.
