Involving Family to Improve Communication in Breast Cancer Care

This study evaluates a multi-component communication intervention in the outpatient setting to strengthen communication among patients being actively treated for breast cancer and their support network of family members and friends. The intervention comprises: 1.) a patient-family agenda-setting checklist completed immediately before a regularly scheduled oncology visit, 2.) facilitated registration for the patient portal (for patient and family member, as desired by the patient), and 3.) education (as relevant) on access to clinician electronic visit notes. The study team will conduct a two-group randomized trial to examine feasibility of the protocol and to compare quality of communication with oncology providers, understanding of patient's cancer, confidence in managing patient's care and satisfaction with cancer care between patient-companion dyads who are in the intervention group (n=60) and patient-companion dyads who receive usual medical oncology care (n=60).