Annual Report 2020
Consultation, Counseling and Support Service Center
Satoru Iwasa, Kayoko Miyata, Natsuko Moroi, Rieko Shimizu, Naoko Matsunaga, Miho Koitabashi, Mariko Shimizu, Mari Arai, Masako Yabumoto, Reiko Hanada, Fumiko Onishi
Introduction
The Consultation, Counseling and Support Service Center (CCSSC) handles inquiries from patients, their families and citizens with a variety of needs and concerns related to cancer. The total number of inquiries from April 2020 to March 2021 was 12,056. There were 5,015 new cases, 2,767 of which involved patients registered in the NCC Hospital. We handle various problems of cancer patients and their families with the ultimate aim of providing patients relief and proper medical care.
The Team and What We Do
We work as a multidisciplinary team with physicians, nurses, medical social workers, and clinical psychologists. We provide the following services:
1. Consultation, Counseling and Support Service
Face-to-face and telephone counseling is available. Any inquiries related to cancer such as cancer treatment and financial, social and psychological issues are willingly accepted. We also make effort to support special cases such as job-seeking and infertility issues. Since 2013, we have cooperated with a “Hello Work Navigator,” a job-finding advisor, and social insurance labor consultants to help cancer patients find new jobs and provide professional advice regarding the compatibility of cancer therapy and work. Moreover, we have implemented a hotline for young adult patients who are concerned with the impact of cancer therapy on fertility.
2. Group programs for patients and their families
3. Multidisciplinary team support beyond departments
4. Collaborative support with other hospitals and institutions
Research activities
Research on employment support for cancer patients has been conducted.
Education
We lecture and act as facilitators in seminars for the education of cancer counseling and support specialists.
Future Prospects
We practice high-quality cancer counseling and support, develop models and disseminate the results throughout Japan.