Evaluation of a Symptom and Needs Assessment for Patients With Cancer

This is a quality improvement study that aims to improve on the timely identification and management of symptoms and supportive care needs in patients with cancer. The study will be evaluating the relative success of an existing on-line patient-reported symptom and needs assessment, and then the implementation and use of an updated version of the symptom and needs assessment with Northwestern Medicine (NM) cancer patients. It also aims to evaluate the impact of the symptom and needs assessment system on healthcare delivery and quality of care. Participants who complete the symptom and needs assessment as part of their usual care are invited to participate in the study by agreeing to complete an on-line survey (at 3 different time points) that asks about quality of life, adverse symptoms related to cancer and cancer treatment, patient experiences with their cancer care team, and the healthcare services they have received. Patients may also be invited to participate in a one-time interview or focus group about patient experiences with the symptom and needs assessment.