Whose Responsibility Is It? Implementing Patient-Prioritized Healthcare System Change in Oncology

Abstract

This brief commentary describes the reflections on a fundamental question by the Public Interest Group on Cancer Research, a successful academic-community partnership focused on cancer research, education, public engagement, and advocacy in Canada’s Eastern province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Our Group has achieved some success in a short time with very limited funding. It has successfully created public spaces for conversations about cancer care and priorities for research and regularly advocated for health service change prioritized by input from patients and family members. However, we remain challenged in our understanding of how to truly implement change within oncology care contexts that is informed by patients and families affected by cancer. In this short reflection, we hope to raise awareness of this important issue and question whose responsibility it is to work with patients and families and follow through on prioritized healthcare issues and services. We suggest this may be a matter of integrated knowledge translation and a better understanding of where patients and families fit in this space. We hope to encourage reflection and conversation among all relevant stakeholders about how best to implement patient-prioritized change in oncology care and policy.