New aftercare passport for cancer patients in Lower Saxony
A project of the CCC-N, the LVG & AFS and the Lower Saxony Cancer Society. Passport and schemes can be ordered online by Clinical Departments and practices.
Status: 13.07.2022
Once cancer treatment has been completed, patients undergo regular medical examinations, known as follow-up checks. This ensures the success of the therapy, detects possible relapses at an early stage and alleviates the consequences of treatment. A helpful companion during this time is an aftercare pass, in which check-up appointments can be planned and results documented.
Initiative for the whole of Lower Saxony
As the previously used aftercare pass is no longer available for Lower Saxony, the Comprehensive Cancer Center Niedersachsen (CCC-N), together with the Landesvereinigung für Gesundheit & Akademie für Sozialmedizin Niedersachsen e.V. (LVG & AFS) and the Niedersächsische Krebsgesellschaft, launched a project to introduce a new pass at the beginning of 2021. As part of the Lower Saxony Quality Initiative of the CCC-N®, the contents of the passport were specified by the project group and adapted to the existing treatment guidelines.
A patient survey was conducted in advance to determine the needs of people affected by cancer in Lower Saxony with regard to care structures and support services. GP practices were also surveyed. The majority of practices were in favor of introducing a new aftercare pass. At the same time, the results provided information on what content is particularly relevant for the aftercare pass.
Focus on aftercare
The new aftercare pass is intended to help both patients and the treatment team to plan and document aftercare appointments in accordance with scientifically based aftercare recommendations in order to have an overview of appointments and results. The aftercare passport also contains tips for discussions with the attending physician, information on clinical studies and contacts to contact points to which those affected can turn for social law, care and life issues as well as psychological problems.
The passport schemes were initially created for patients suffering from melanoma, hemato-oncological tumors, intestinal tumors, gynecological tumors or breast tumors. Further development for other diseases will follow.
Online order
Oncology Clinical Departments and practices in Lower Saxony can order the aftercare pass and the DIN A6 paper version on the CCC-N website.
