Oncology Patient and Care Team Journey

1. Initial Presentation and Diagnosis

• Patient Presentation:
  • Patient experiences symptoms or undergoes routine screening.
  • Visits primary care physician or specialist.
• Diagnostic Workup:
  • Imaging studies (e.g., mammograms, CT scans).
  • Biopsies and laboratory tests.
• Diagnosis Communication:
  • Oncologist communicates the cancer diagnosis.
  • Initial discussions about prognosis and potential treatment options.

Unanswered Questions:

• Emotional Support:
  • How can VR be utilized to provide immediate emotional support upon diagnosis?
  • Can AI-driven conversational agents help patients process their diagnosis?
• Educational Content:
  • What VR educational modules are needed to help patients understand their diagnosis?

2. Staging and Treatment Planning

• Cancer Staging:
  • Determining the extent and spread of cancer (Stages I-IV).
• Multidisciplinary Team Meeting:
  • Oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists collaborate.
• Treatment Options Discussion:
  • Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy.
• Patient Consent and Preparation:
  • Detailed explanation of procedures.
  • Psychological preparation.

Unanswered Questions:

• Personalized Education:
  • How can VR personalize treatment education based on individual patient needs?
  • What patient data is needed to personalize VR interventions effectively?
• Decision Aids:
  • Can VR assist in shared decision-making by simulating outcomes or educating patients on impacts of their decisions?

3. Treatment Initiation

• Surgical Intervention (if applicable):
  • Pre-operative preparation.
  • Post-operative care.
• Chemotherapy/Radiation Therapy:
  • Scheduling of treatment sessions.
  • Management of side effects.
• Supportive Care:
  • Nutritional support, pain management, psychological counseling.

Unanswered Questions:

• VR for Symptom Management:
  • How effective is VR in managing treatment side effects like anxiety, depression, nausea, fatigue or pain?
• Integration into Routine Care:
  • When and how should VR sessions be scheduled alongside medical treatments?
  • How can data from VR sessions be integrated into clinical records?

4. Psychological Assessment and Support

• Initial Psychological Evaluation:
  • Screening for depression, anxiety, and distress.
• Ongoing Mental Health Support:
  • Counseling sessions.
  • Support groups.

Unanswered Questions:

• Assessment Tools:
  • Which psychological assessment or evaluation tools are most appropriate and how can they be integrated into VR?
• AI Conversational Agents:
  • How can AI be used for ongoing mental health check-ins?
  • How can data from VR sessions be integrated into clinical records?

5. Follow-Up and Survivorship

• Regular Monitoring:
  • Follow-up appointments for recurrence surveillance.
  • Long-term side effect management.
• Rehabilitation:
  • Physical therapy, occupational therapy.
• Survivorship Programs:
  • Education on lifestyle modifications.
  • Long-term mental health support.

Unanswered Questions:

• Long-Term Engagement:
  • How can VR support long-term survivorship care?
• Data Tracking:
  • What patient-reported outcomes should be tracked over time?

6. Palliative Care (if applicable)

• Focus on Quality of Life:
  • Symptom relief.
  • Emotional and spiritual support.
• End-of-Life Care:

Unanswered Questions:

• VR in Palliative Care:
• Ethical Considerations:

Care Team Roles and Unanswered Questions

1. Physicians (Oncologists, Pain Specialists)

• Roles:
• Unanswered Questions:

2. Nurses and Nurse Practitioners

• Roles:
• Unanswered Questions:

3. Psychologists and Psychiatrists

• Roles:
• Unanswered Questions:

4. Physical Therapists (Pain Management)

• Roles:
• Unanswered Questions:

5. Social Workers and Support Staff

• Roles:
• Unanswered Questions:

Unanswered Questions Along the Integration Process