During radiotherapy waiting time various ways can be used to educate the patient

1. How to optimally utilize the waiting time/area of
patients while they are in the waiting hall before
their RT commences- for the purpose of patient
education
Dr Pallavi Kalbande
MD Radiation Oncology
MGIMS sewagram, wardha

2. Background
• Radiotherapy treatment time is usually for 3-7 weeks depending on site of
treatment.
• Patient with their attendant comes daily to radiotherapy department.
• As large no of patients are being treated all patients has to wait in waiting area
for some time.
• This is the potential time to educate patients and their attendants.
• For this different methods can be used which will deliver maximum
information with short period of time with fruitful outcomes.

3. Printed Handouts
• Target caregivers - patients usually are in pain or some discomfort because of
disease so they are usually hesitant to read a handouts so better to target patient
attendants than patients.
• On Day 1 - handouts for patients including care to be taken during radiotherapy,
need of radiotherapy, compliance to radiotherapy, what is radiotherapy,
chemotherapy , how it is given?
• Site Specific - Different handouts to be prepared according to disease site, separate
for patients and their attendants.

4. • Handouts for patients should focus on their disease site only. And
those for attendants should be in more detail about all cancer sites.
• Let them carry handouts at home so that information will spread to
other family members.
• handouts should be in local language, very concise, easy to
understand with pictorial presentations.

5. Handouts for patients
More concise
largely pictorial
only site specific information
Handouts for Attendants
Should be more detailed
Site specific initially
Later including other sites
On the day of start
of treatment
Give new handouts
after every 3-4 days
add new small bouts of
information in every
handouts
Let them carry handouts

6. PPT slides
• Site specific areas - to be created in waiting area like separate for breast cancer,
head and neck cancer, cervical cancer.
• Site specific PPTs - are to be prepared for each site including risk factors, Lifestyle
related risk factors, prevention, screening and early detection signs and
symptoms, treatment and living with cancer.
• It should be displayed continuously in waiting area on larger screen.
• Website - to visit for more details and contact details for any help should be
highlighted.

7. Videos
• Demonstration videos - small videos to be made which will
demonstrate radiotherapy and chemotherapy procedures.
How mould is prepared.
• Stories - of tobacco chewer or smoker how addiction
spoiled their life.How cancers can be prevented
• Role plays - in local language demonstrating role of family
support in cure of cancer patients.
• Recorded videos - of journey of cancer of cured patients to
be played.
• Video stations - computer stations can be installed in
waiting area where all site specific videos will be saved and
can be easily access by patients and attendants

8. Display items
• Posters - to prepared including photos of before
and after treatment. warning signs during the
course of treatment.
• Standees - to be kept in waiting areas like
getting help for cancer pain, how to talk about
your pain, how to use pain scale, how to
describe your pain, facts about cancer pain.
• Each standee describing one of the common side
effects how to interpret them and what to do.
• Being a caregiver what to do and what not. How
to be a good caregiver.
• Schemes available - for cancer patients how to
use them.

9. • Hospital website and contact details to
contact in case of any query should be
highlighted.
• Cartoons explaining how bad habits can
cause cancer and how cancer can be
prevented.

10. Details of additional resources
• Recorded tapes - can be played which will include the information regarding
radiotherapy, chemotherapy precautions to take. What is cancer? It can affect
to any person.
• social worker - To be there all time of radiotherapy hours who will give
patient specific information and answering their questions in waiting area
itself.
• Cancer fact sheets - These are single page, front-and-back flyers offer easy-to-
read information about common cancers. These can be distributed to all in
waiting area. A bunch of cancer fact sheets to be kept in waiting area.

11. • Monthly bulletin – monthly bulletin of
hospital to be launched which will
include the details of cancer statistics
for a month and success stories of
patients and their caregivers
• It should be kept in waiting area easily
accessible to read.

12. FAQs
• All possible FAQs with answers to be pasted in waiting area.
• Chatbot stations - can be installed in waiting area Bot will answer frequently
asked questions automatically.
• A Bot will be hosted on hospital website which will be accessed by each
patient while sitting in waiting area. Login details will be given to each patient
so patient specific frequently asked questions can be answered using Chatbot
application.

13. In case of
further questions
• A Call centre - separate unit
can be maintained as call
centre and Helpline numbers
to be written in bold in waiting
area where patients can
contact directly for any
information.

14. Thank
you