Families Aren’t Able To Advocate For Cancer Patients In The Hospital, So Physicians Are Stepping In

Your ability to advocate for family members with cancer is in jeopardy because of new hospital protocols that won’t allow patient visitors. Thankfully, physicians tell SurvivorNet that some medical teams are stepping up to provide treatment decisions on behalf of patients.

While in treatment, it’s critical cancer patients have advocates by their side to fight for the best care. However, Covid-19 has forced families out of hospital rooms as new protocols such as suspending family visitation have been implemented in order to keep patients and staff safe.

The SurvivorNet community asked Dr. Jeffrey Weber, Deputy Director of The Perlmutter Cancer Center, how family members will be able to advocate for loved ones during this uncertain time.

“I don’t think they’re going to be able to,” Dr. Weber admits. “I don’t think that’ll happen. If a doctor has to intubate without the family present to inform them that’s incredibly tough.”

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Dropping off Buckley to go into Chemo solo during this crisis is really frightening but MD Anderson is a hospital like no other. I know he’s in the best hands from the doctors, nurses, techs, cleaning crew and everyone in between they are the best we have ever encountered. We debated long and hard if we should make the long drive to Houston for his chemo but cancer does not care about Quarantines and I’m sure it’s going to get worse before it gets better. Through all the chaos I’m thankful to all the healthcare workers who are possibly sacrificing their own health for the survival of others. I did however pack sheets, pillows, towels, Lysol, Clorox wipes and food which I guess was a good thing because I’m stuck on the third floor of our hotel the elevator stopped working this morning ???????? Gotta keep finding the humor even in the scariest of times. There are stairs which I used to go drop Buck off but my knee does not like stairs ( need a knee replacement and I’ll get it at some point but notttt right now) #mdandersoncancercenter#chemo#cancerdoesntquarantine#stayingsafe#washyourhands#faith#livingwithgratitude#immunotherapy#clinicaltrails#lovemyhubby#fcancer#coloncancer#lynchsyndrome#faithbeforefear#godsgotthis#

A post shared by Debi (@mammadeb3) on Apr 3, 2020 at 11:11am PDT

In order to make sure cancer care is still a top priority, physicians are stepping up to fill the place of families and advocate for patients. In Chicago, Dr. Claudia Perez, a surgeon at Rush University Medical Center, accompanied breast cancer survivor Jessica Roubitchek who needed a screening test when she thought her cancer had returned and could not bring her family with her.

Cancer Patients As Their Own Advocates

Community support can help a cancer patient tremendously while undergoing treatment, and seeing as it’s unclear right now how patients will have access to an advocate, it’s never been more important that those battling cancer know information about their disease and are transparent with their oncologists about treatment options.

“…It’s important for you to actually educate yourself and be your own health care advocate,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet. “That’s something that I think is really important. You should lead each doctor’s appointment with a plan.”

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