CONTINUITY OF INFORMATION IN CANCER CARE - EVALUATION OF A LOGBOOK

A logbook, or patient-dossier, was developed, to improve continuity of information in the treatment and care of head-and-neck cancer patient s. It contained information modules on different aspects of care: as w ell as forms to facilitate communication both between patient and care -professional and between the various care-professionals. The logbook' s effectiveness was evaluated in two hospitals in Rotterdam, by compar ing outcomes for trial and comparison groups of, respectively, 71 and 54 patients and 59 and 35 care-professionals. Trial patients proved to be better informed, to receive more support and to experience fewer p sychosocial problems. Professionals who used the logbook were better i nformed about their patients, and about the care-activities of fellow- professionals than those who did not. They recognised an improvement i n their contact with colleagues and in the harmonisation of their resp ective care-activities. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.