TY - JOUR
T1 - Organization of head and neck cancer rehabilitation care
T2 - a national survey among healthcare professionals in Dutch head and neck cancer centers
AU - Dutch Head, Neck Society
AU - Passchier, Ellen
AU - Beck, Ann-Jean C C
AU - Stuiver, Martijn M
AU - Retèl, Valesca P
AU - Navran, Arash
AU - van Harten, Wim H
AU - van den Brekel, Michiel W M
AU - van der Molen, Lisette
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024/5
Y1 - 2024/5
N2 - PURPOSE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment often leads to physical and psychosocial impairments. Rehabilitation can overcome these limitations and improve quality of life. The aim of this study is to obtain an overview of rehabilitation care for HNC, and to investigate factors influencing rehabilitation provision, in Dutch HNC centers, and to some extent compare it to other countries.METHODS: An online survey, covering five themes: organizational structure; rehabilitation interventions; financing; barriers and facilitators; satisfaction and future improvements, among HNC healthcare- and financial professionals of Dutch HNC centers.RESULTS: Most centers (86%) applied some type of rehabilitation care, with variations in organizational structure. A speech language therapist, physiotherapist and dietitian were available in all centers, but other rehabilitation healthcare professionals in less than 60%. Facilitators for providing rehabilitation services included availability of a contact person, and positive attitude, motivation, and expertise of healthcare professionals. Barriers were lack of reimbursement, and patient related barriers including comorbidity, travel (time), low health literacy, limited financial capacity, and poor motivation.CONCLUSION: Although all HNC centers included offer rehabilitation services, there is substantial practice variation, both nationally and internationally. Factors influencing rehabilitation are related to the motivation and expertise of the treatment team, but also to reimbursement aspects and patient related factors. More research is needed to investigate the extent to which practice variation impacts individual patient outcomes and how to integrate HNC rehabilitation into routine clinical pathways.
AB - PURPOSE: Head and neck cancer (HNC) treatment often leads to physical and psychosocial impairments. Rehabilitation can overcome these limitations and improve quality of life. The aim of this study is to obtain an overview of rehabilitation care for HNC, and to investigate factors influencing rehabilitation provision, in Dutch HNC centers, and to some extent compare it to other countries.METHODS: An online survey, covering five themes: organizational structure; rehabilitation interventions; financing; barriers and facilitators; satisfaction and future improvements, among HNC healthcare- and financial professionals of Dutch HNC centers.RESULTS: Most centers (86%) applied some type of rehabilitation care, with variations in organizational structure. A speech language therapist, physiotherapist and dietitian were available in all centers, but other rehabilitation healthcare professionals in less than 60%. Facilitators for providing rehabilitation services included availability of a contact person, and positive attitude, motivation, and expertise of healthcare professionals. Barriers were lack of reimbursement, and patient related barriers including comorbidity, travel (time), low health literacy, limited financial capacity, and poor motivation.CONCLUSION: Although all HNC centers included offer rehabilitation services, there is substantial practice variation, both nationally and internationally. Factors influencing rehabilitation are related to the motivation and expertise of the treatment team, but also to reimbursement aspects and patient related factors. More research is needed to investigate the extent to which practice variation impacts individual patient outcomes and how to integrate HNC rehabilitation into routine clinical pathways.
KW - Barriers and facilitators
KW - Head and neck cancer
KW - Rehabilitation
KW - Survey
KW - Survivorship care
KW - The Netherlands
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85184463605&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00405-024-08488-1
DO - 10.1007/s00405-024-08488-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 38324056
SN - 0937-4477
VL - 281
SP - 2575
EP - 2585
JO - European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS)
JF - European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS)
IS - 5
ER -