Mary Cooley on Patient Preferences for Symptom Management

Mary Cooley, PhD, APRN, BC, nurse scientist, Phyllis F. Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses a study which analyzed patient and clinician preferences for symptom management and clinical decision support.

This two-phase study begins with focus groups with patients and clinicians. The first phase of the study looks at how patients and clinicians communicate about symptoms and quality of life and how the process unfolds from time of diagnosis to treatment. In this stage, researchers ask about ways they could improve the process. Cooley believes it is important to address the preferences for patients and clinicians so that the systems can work for them.