Survivorship & Supportive Services

Overview

The University of Tennessee Cancer Institute offers survivorship care to patients at the completion of their treatment. Cancer Institute patients have access to a variety of supportive services through their entire cancer journey. Survivorship begins with a diagnosis of cancer.  Survivorship is a broad term that applies to all patients who have been diagnosed with cancer, regardless of stage. 

Nurse Navigation Services

The Cancer Institute Nurse Navigators are specially trained individuals who provide individualized assistance to patients, families, and caregivers to help them overcome healthcare barriers and facilitate timely access to care. A nurse navigator is a professional, registered nurse that provides: 

• Education 
• Instruction 
• Resolution 
• Ease of transition 
• Support 
• Access to resources 
• Treatment planning 
• Communication and collaboration among care providers 

These services are offered to patients, families, and caregivers to expedite informed decision making and timely access to quality health care throughout all phases of the cancer continuum. 

Survivorship Care

Our Survivorship Care includes routine follow-ups as directed by NCCN guidelines to follow disease specific factors as well as a general wellness screening. Once a patient has transitioned to Survivorship, we provide an individualized treatment summary and survivorship care plan describing the unique treatment received by each patient. This includes a list of all treating providers, all types of treatment, response to treatment, all pathology information including staging, follow-up recommendations and future screening intervals.

Your First Survivorship Visit

Every patient is unique. As such, we meet with each patient one-on-one, review cancer-relevant patient history including diagnosis, stage, treatments, responses to treatment, potential after-effects related to treatment received, and individualized follow-up recommendations. Additional components of a first Survivorship visit may include the following as needed:

• A physical exam
• A visit with a social worker for a symptom assessment and to identify any needs that need additional assistance
• Meeting with a nutritionist for a dietary assessment and planning for a post-treatment healthy diet
• A copy of all relevant records
• Completion of a personalized treatment summary and survivorship care plan (this may be completed at the time of service or following the initial appointment)

Counseling & Support

At the Cancer Institute, we have a licensed clinical social worker that provides services, such as individual and family counseling, education, and information with referrals to community resources, including support groups. Trained to meet the specific and unique needs of cancer patients, our social worker can meet with patients and families, including caregivers and children, to provide the support needed to manage the day-to-day challenges of living with cancer.  The social worker also is a notary for advanced directives.

To reach the Cancer Institute’s social worker, call 865-305-6154.

Nutritional Support

Our board-certified cancer dietitian assists patients with all their nutritional needs throughout the cancer journey, such as recommending specific foods or supplement and answering questions about cancer-specific nutrition. Our dietitian focuses on assessing the individual dietary and nutrition needs of each patient and providing practical, scientifically sound assistance, such as:

• Preventing or correcting nutritional deficiencies
• Minimizing the side effects of treatment
• Enhancing quality of life during treatment
• Improving ability to tolerate treatment
• Helping achieve and maintain optimal body weight
• Incorporating healthy nutrition habits into daily living
• Evaluating the risks and benefits of nutrition into a comprehensive plan to minimize risk of recurrence following treatment
• Educating family members about special nutrition needs

Our dietitian works with individuals to develop food strategies, not strict or hard-to-follow meal plans.

To reach the Cancer Institute’s dietitian, please call 865-305-8099.

Spiritual Support

Our chaplain is available to provide compassionate care and spiritual support to patients and families of all faiths. The chaplain can be reached at (865) 305-6393.

Financial Counseling

Our financial counselors can provide information and assistance on resources and options available to minimize the financial burden on cancer patients. The financial counselors can be reached at 865-305-7971.

Integrative Healthcare

The Integrative Healthcare program at The University of Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute is designed to provide supportive and integrative therapies for cancer patients and their caregivers during all stages of cancer care from diagnosis, treatment, and beyond. The program supports our goal of healing the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. Integrative therapies and supportive services can be used along with traditional cancer treatments and can often enhance the effect of treatment by reducing mental and physical stress during the cancer journey.

Support Groups

Receiving a cancer diagnosis as well as living through and beyond cancer treatment is often a very stressful experience. Support groups help many people cope with the emotional aspects of cancer by providing a place to safely share feelings, connect, and learn from others facing a similar situation and discuss the challenges of the cancer journey. Some support groups also provide an opportunity for education provided by health care professionals on topics such as the management of side effects, ways to cope, lifestyle modification or other related topics.  The Cancer Institute offers a number of support groups on site an in collaboration with other organizations and community partners