Psychoonkologischer Versorgungsbedarf in Krebszentren

Background: The psychosocial consequences of cancer are well-known and represent a considerable burden for the individual with cancer in the short- and long-term course of disease. Psycho-oncological interventions help patients and family caregivers to cope with this burden. They significantly reduce psychological distress and improve quality of life. Objective: With regard to needs-based psycho-oncological care, a panel of experts has for the first time developed a demand-oriented algorithm for inpatient psycho-oncological services in Germany. Methods: The psycho-oncological care algorithm considers (i) the evidence-based estimation of mental comorbidity (objective need) and the subjective burden and support care needs of cancer patients (subjective needs) based on current scientific evidence and (ii) the evidence- and consensus-based task and time assessment of a psycho-oncological service divided into direct and indirect patient care as well as general supply tasks. Results: Based on the psycho-oncological care algorithm, it is estimated that one full-time employee can provide care for 300 patients per year in the group of psychologically highly burdened cancer patients (including all tumor entities except prostate and skin cancers), whereas in the group of moderately burdened cancer patients (including individuals with prostate or skin cancers), one full-time employee can provide care for 500 patients per year. Conclusion: The psycho-oncological care algorithm contributes to ensuring needs-based psycho-oncological care, which was a concerted action goal in both the National Cancer Plan of the Federal Ministry of Health and in the S3 guideline on psycho-oncology.