I recently completed the first 9 months of treatment and was waiting to hear the results from my last scan when on the day of my appointment I was rung at home by my consultant. Due to pressure of work he wanted to know if I could proceed on a telephone basis which I agreed to. However I didn't really catch the difference between open access or 6 monthly regular scans. My question is what are the advantages and disadvantages if indeed any, between the two approaches?
Snaf
Hi Snaffy
Due to covid restrictions it's only video appointments to discuss scan results that we have been offered for my husband. The scans have been done at various hospitals spread across our health authority and the video appointments have also been with various members of the team. For me the two biggest drawbacks with this approach are the lack of consistency (but I accept that could also happen with face to face clinic appointments) and the fact that on the video calls they can't show you the scan images. They feel more rushed and impersonal.
We had one "difficult" appointment where the oncologist who appeared on the screen was ill-prepared and hadn't even properly reviewed the latest scan, He was unable to answer our basic questions like "what size is the regrowth?" "Has it increased in size since the last scan?"
I accept that our experience has been poor so I'm sure there will be others in the group who can comment on their experiences from a more balanced standpoint.
I guess at the end of the day you can try the open approach and if its not working for you then speak to your team. At the end of the day its what works best for you. Clear communication and consistency is key.
sending love and hugs
Wee me xx
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