Approaches to Shared Decision-Making for the Oncology Team: Webinar Series-Building a Culture of Patient Engagement

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar, hosted by the Association of Community Cancer Centers, focused on building a culture of patient engagement and shared decision making in oncology. Speaker Candice Roth from Levine Cancer Institute explained that shared decision making is a core part of patient-centered care, helping patients understand their options, weigh risks and benefits, feel more informed, and follow through with treatment plans.<br /><br />She described six key steps: inviting patients to participate, presenting options, explaining benefits and risks, helping patients evaluate choices based on their goals, allowing time for deliberation, and supporting follow-through. A major theme was that organizational culture must support this process, starting with visible leadership, frontline staff empowerment, and active listening to patients and care partners.<br /><br />Roth shared how Levine Cancer Institute uses a person-centered, system-wide approach through navigation, survivorship planning, patient family advisory councils, patient education committees, and technology such as electronic pathways, MyAtrium, and DocuSign. She highlighted the importance of standardized education materials, health literacy, and multidisciplinary collaboration.<br /><br />Examples included redesigning facilities with patient input, improving registration workflows, creating a hospitality lounge and chapel, and expanding supportive services such as navigation, integrative oncology, outreach screening, and financial toxicity support. She emphasized that patient feedback and quality metrics drive continuous improvement.<br /><br />During Q&A, Roth discussed the Patient Navigation Academy, survivorship plans for patients with incurable disease, the role of the health librarian, organizational structure, and support for social determinants of health such as housing. The session concluded by reinforcing that shared decision making requires transparency, collaboration, and meaningful inclusion of patients and staff.

Asset Caption

Candice Roth, MSN, RN, CENP
Assistant Vice President – Central & Western Region Operations, Nursing & Quality
Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC

Keywords

patient engagement

shared decision making

oncology

patient-centered care

health literacy

patient navigation

survivorship planning

multidisciplinary collaboration

patient feedback

social determinants of health