Increasing Access to Psychosocial Oncology Services Means Becoming More Person-centered and Situation-responsive

Current approaches in cancer supportive care call for enhanced patient access, personalized care, and higher service quality and performance. Person-centered care (PCC) is respectful and responsive to individuals' needs, preferences, and context. PCC is likely to enhance access to relevant resources and services as the cancer experience and trajectory unfold. However, significant gaps still exist in accessing supportive modalities across the cancer trajectory. Too often, affected individuals must contend with institution-centric rather than personalized modalities, practices, and schedules. In this commentary, we review the evidence on the distinct needs and preferences of individuals affected by cancer and highlight key factors significantly associated with patient experiences and satisfaction. Recommendations are made to enhance access, relevance, and a fuller integration of cancer service delivery. Last, we discuss how implementing these recommendations aligns with potentially more cost-effective psychosocial oncology support while directly addressing access to timely psychosocial care.