Patient engagement in radiation therapy: The development of guidelines for current Canadian practices.

Radiation therapy service quality is not only defined by the technical aspects of care-the patient's involvement and satisfaction also contribute largely to determining the quality of care received. Although there have been recent increases in support for the development of patient engagement activities throughout Canada, the lack of guidance and knowledge of patient engagement techniques within the radiotherapy context limits implementation. Without processes to obtain first-hand insight from patients, the need for these programs is overlooked. With a commitment to improving quality and consistency of care, the Canadian Partnership for Quality Radiotherapy recognized the need for a set of national guidelines on patient engagement in radiation therapy service delivery. Making use of the perspectives and first-hand experience of patient representatives, this initiative aims to develop a pan-Canadian guidance document that radiation therapy centres can adopt for successful integration of patient engagement through core activities of service delivery.

[Les inégalités dans l'accès aux soins du cancer au Canada: un point de vue éthique].

La capacité d'offrir des soins du cancer de qualité dépend en grande partie de l'accessibilité des services à ceux qui en ont besoin. Dans l'état actuel des choses, on constate des disparités en matière d'accès aux services de cancérologie au Canada, ce qui constitue un problème sur le plan de l'éthique. Le présent article fait ressortir les points de vue éthiques et stratégiques liés à l'équité dans l'accès aux soins du cancer au Canada. S'inspirant des principes de la bioéthique, soit la bénéficience, la non-maléficience et la justice, plusieurs stratégies sont recommandées pour améliorer l'accès aux soins du cancer au pays.

Inequities in access to cancer care in Canada: An ethical perspective.

The ability to provide quality cancer care largely depends on how accessible the services are to those in need. In the current state, disparities exist in access to Canadian cancer services, and this poses an ethical challenge. This article highlights ethical and strategic considerations related to equity in access to Canadian cancer care. Based on the principles of bioethics-beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice-various action strategies have been recommended in order to improve access to cancer care nationally.