Name
Improving Oncology Treatment Adherence Through Integrated Behavioral Health: A Quality Improvement Initiative in Community Oncology
Description

Cancer-related distress contributes to missed oncology appointments, infusion disruptions, and reduced adherence to cancer therapies, yet many community oncology practices lack integrated behavioral health models to address psychosocial barriers to treatment adherence. This quality improvement initiative embedded Collaborative Care–based behavioral health services within community oncology practices and incorporated patient-reported measures of oncology treatment adherence (appointment attendance, infusion continuity, medication adherence, and emergency department utilization) alongside validated distress measures (PHQ-9, GAD-7, FACT-G7) to guide measurement-based behavioral health care planning. Early implementation demonstrates the feasibility of integrating adherence metrics into behavioral health workflows to identify treatment barriers and support patients in remaining engaged with oncology treatment.

Speakers
Alanna Robinson, Ms
Co-Authors
Kyle Lavin
Supriya Laknidhi
Content Level
All Audience
Tags
Care management, Collaborative Care Model of Integrated Care, Quality improvement programs
Session Type
Concurrent
Objective 1
Describe how Collaborative Care–based behavioral health services can be integrated into community oncology workflows to address cancer-related distress and treatment engagement barriers.
Objective 2
Identify patient-reported measures that can be used to monitor both psychological distress (PHQ-9, GAD-7, FACT-G7) and oncology treatment adherence within integrated behavioral health programs.
Objective 3
Apply quality improvement strategies to incorporate treatment adherence metrics into behavioral health care planning and support patient engagement with oncology treatment.
Content Reference 1

Collaborative Care Model Archer, J., et al. (2012). Collaborative care for depression and anxiety problems. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Content Reference 2

Lee, S. A., Nam, C. M., Kim, Y. H., et al. (2020). Impact of onset of psychiatric disorders and psychiatric treatment on mortality among patients with cancer. The Oncologist.

Content Reference 3

Antoni, M. H. (2013). Psychosocial intervention effects on adaptation, disease course, and biobehavioral processes in cancer. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.