5. CAPO Definition of PSO
“Psychosocial Oncology is a professional sub-
specialty in oncology. The domain of psychosocial
oncology includes the formal study, understanding
and treatment of the social, psychological,
emotional, spiritual, quality of life and functional
aspects of cancer as applied across the cancer
trajectory from prevention through bereavement. It
seeks to develop and integrate new knowledge and
techniques of the psychosocial and biomedical
sciences as it relates to cancer care”
7. Fitch MI. Providing supportive care. In: Supportive Care Framework: A Foundation for Person-Centred Care. Pembroke (ON): Pappin
Communications; 2008. p. 23–24.
9. Importance of Psychosocial Care
Severe psychosocial distress is associated with:
– Poor quality of life
– Distress in family caregivers and children
– Desire for hastened death/request for medical
assistance in dying
– Worse patient satisfaction with care
– Less treatment compliance
– Greater health care utilization
– Increased mortality independent of medical
variables
10. Distress Assessment and Response Tool:
DART
• Screens for
– physical symptoms (ESAS)
– depression (PHQ-9)
– anxiety (GAD-7)
– social difficulties (SDI)
• Computerized survey completed by patients in oncology
clinics at diagnosis and every 2-3 months
• Intelligently programmed to minimize patient burden
• Clinical decision support tool on clinician output to
facilitate PSO referral
• Customized with additional patient reported outcome
measures in select tumour sites
11. Ambulatory/Inpatient Services
• Individual and couple outpatient care
(psychiatry, psychology, social work)
• Inpatient consult service
• Group Interventions (MBCT, iREST)
• Tailored treatment (AYA, cancer geriatrics,
neurocognition)
• Targeted treatment (CALM, EASI, ASURE)
• Music Therapy
• UHN MAID
12. • Screening and selection of volunteers
• Specialized training program
• Supervision and collaboration
with professional staff
• Multiple functions
– Clinic-based support
– Navigators
– Group interventions
• 150 new volunteers trained
• Research program evaluating
selection and training process and outcomes
Healing Beyond the Body
Volunteer Support Program
13. Family Centered Care
Magic Castle
• Therapeutic play
program for children
with cancer undergoing
radiotherapy and for
children whose parents
are receiving cancer
treatment at PM
14. Research Program
ResearchResearch
TeamsTeams
Quality of LifeQuality of Life
Pain & SymptomPain & Symptom
ControlControl
Adjustment toAdjustment to
Advanced DiseaseAdvanced Disease
and End of Lifeand End of Life
Genetic RiskGenetic Risk
NeurocognitiveNeurocognitive
Effects/SurvivorshipEffects/Survivorship
Health ServicesHealth Services
15. Educational Program
• Psychiatry residents, social work
students and psychology practicum
rotations
• Seminar Program
– Grand Rounds
– Pain & Symptom Management
– Manuscript Review
– Research Development
– Research in Progress
– Palliative Psychiatry
• Elective undergraduate trainees
• Fellowship program
• Inter-professional education to
oncologists and nurses
– Communication skills training
– Distress management
– PSO education for medical staff
16. “It is more important to know what sort of
person has a disease than to know what sort
of disease a person has.”
Psychosocial Oncology:
Tumour-centred care Person-centred care
Editor's Notes
Emotion And Symptom-focused Intervention (EASI) for individuals with acute leukemia
