14 Aug 2024

Questions to ask your cancer care team

A cancer diagnosis can be a life-changing event. It is common to feel a mixture of strong emotions, however everyone is different and will usually find their own way to cope.¹

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, learning more about the disease and its treatment can help you to have an active role in your care. Asking your doctor questions will also help you make informed choices.² At GenesisCare making patients ‘partners’ in their care is an intrinsic part of our culture. This means we give patients a voice to create a culture of patient empowerment.

We aim to look after you and keep you informed and safe during your treatment, we will engage you in decisions about your care, and ensure we are aligned together in establishing agreed goals of care. This includes discussion of care plans with you, and seeking feedback from you and your carers, where appropriate, on where we can improve.

You, your family, or a carer may have questions to ask your care team, however you may find this process to be overwhelming, and struggle to prioritise what to ask and when. There are some reputable resources that can help guide you on the type of questions to ask, from diagnosis to treatment. It may be a good idea to prepare these questions before an appointment with your doctor or care team. This is so you can feel more in control, prepared, and get more out of your appointment.

Heathdirect has a question builder, which is a simple tick box application that can help guide you on what questions to ask at each stage, from your first appointment with your GP or Specialist, to treatment. For more information, visit the Healthdirect website here.³

The Cancer Council also has information about questions to ask your care team and covers topics such as questions about tests, treatments, cost, and clinical trials. For more information, visit the Cancer Council website here: https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/after-a-diagnosis/questions-to-ask-your-doctor

GenesisCare offers a patient journal which is available to all patients and carers. This was designed to help keep information in one place. This journal was co-designed with a GenesisCare Consumer Advisory Committee member and carer, Carol Coady. Carol documented her husband’s appointments, treatment details, medications, doctors’ names, and finances related to treatment, as well as questions they had for their care team.

For more information on the patient journey click through to our blog post here.

From right to left: Robyn Hughes, Maria Moran and Carol Coady (Consumer Advisory Committee members). Carol talks to the GenesisCare team about the Patient Journal.