A multidisciplinary group of content experts from the New Mexico VA Health Care System explored the current state of cancer-related psychosocial distress and developed a standardized process to improve assessment and access to cancer related distress care. The DISTRESS (Distress Initial Survivorship Tool Recommended Evaluation through Surgical Service) system was developed and incorporated into the CPRS Cancer Survivorship Care Plan, creating permanent data within the medical record.
"Over 700 veterans at the Albuquerque VA have prostate cancer and no one was monitoring them consistently," Janice Schwartz, RN, OCN, said. "We designed a tool so veterans can come in, see their physician, and manditorily be assessed."
To learn more, watch the video or read the full abstract from Schwartz's poster presentation.
