Scanxiety is something we may suffer from at various times pre, during and post treatment....Maggie's has an interesting article on how to deal with it...click on the link.......Tips for managing 'scanxiety' | Maggie's
Hi
Thanks very much for taking the time to provide a link to this information to the group. I'm just 'bumping' your post back to the top of the page in case anyone hasn't seen it yet.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
There are a few other posts that I have on my bump list. I will add this one
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
I thought I would add this from
Six years ago, I co-founded Hexarad with three fellow NHS radiologists. Our company has helped to solve workflow and reporting issues in NHS radiology departments across the UK. Now, we have turned our attention to scanxiety – the anxiety associated with diagnostic imaging; the waiting before the scan, feelings during the scan and, most acutely, the period while waiting for the results. It is not confined to patients either, extending to family and friends too.
After speaking with patients, we found that lack of control and understanding was the driving force of scanxiety. Naturally, patients do not know that their scan must be analysed, reported on and discussed before they receive a result. While each step is clinically necessary, the time and opacity between them creates an anxiety window.
Additionally, patients often do not know if they will receive their result via a phone call, an email or an in-depth consultation. This can heighten their worries – some may only want to receive the headline news, while others benefit from a more in depth report.
Delays in the process only serve to worsen these anxieties. Last year, nearly one million NHS patients waited longer than the recommended four-week period for scan results. This was driven in part by a 31 per cent shortfall of clinical radiologists – which is projected to rise to 40 per cent in two years’ time. Many care providers are working in a system that is stretched beyond the limits it was designed for, making scanxiety a problem for them too.
I believe the solution lies primarily in making the process visible to patients – whether that is via a wall-chart which lays out the next steps, or by explaining it directly to them. They should also have a choice in how they receive their results – as a headline summary, full report, over the phone or in-person. Improving communication would help patients to feel empowered.
If you are a patient undergoing scans, do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not be afraid to call the radiology department and ask who will report your results and when. When you are having a scan, it is difficult to remember everything you are told. There will be a lot of overwhelming information that is hard to digest. So please, ask as many questions as you want, take notes, and advocate for yourself.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
