ST JUDE ACT CLINIC
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to the After Completion of Therapy Survivorship Clinic or ACT Clinic.
We’re happy to be a part of the next phase of your journey at St. Jude. Your
transition to ACT marks a significant milestone in survivorship. Patients who are
five or more years from diagnosis are considered long term survivors.
We know that it is a big change and it can be hard to leave your primary treating
care team and build new relationships in a new clinic with a new staff. The ACT
Clinic is here to meet the specific needs of survivors of childhood cancer and
other catastrophic illnesses. Our team works closely with the treating clinics and
we will contact them if there is a need and you can always stop by to visit your
treating clinic when you’re on campus. The aim of the ACT Clinic is to keep you
healthy after cancer. We are focused on helping you understand how your cancer
treatment might affect your long-term health. As part of the work in ACT Clinic,
you may be eligible to join a research study to better understand the long-term
effects of cancer treatment. We will support you as you grow into adulthood and
help you find the healthcare providers you need at home. We want to partner
with you and your family to make sure your unique healthcare needs are met.
In ACT, you will have many familiar team members: Nurses, Advanced Practice
Providers (such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants), Doctors
(including oncologists), Primary Care Providers and Subspecialty Providers (if
needed), Social Workers, Psychologists, School Liaisons and many other medical
and support specialists.
Before becoming an ACT patient, we want you to have an introductory visit to
the clinic- your first official ACT Clinic appointment will be scheduled about a
year later- this appointment will mark the official transition of your care from
your original treating clinic to the ACT Clinic. If you have an issue, need
medication refills or want to speak to a medical professional before becoming an
official ACT Patient, please contact your primary care team from your treating
clinic or your primary care provider in your local community. Once you complete
your first ACT Clinic appointment, we will be your St Jude point of contact for any
questions or issues.
To prepare your transition to the ACT Clinic, we thoroughly review your medical
record to make sure we are of all the treatments you have received and any
ongoing health concerns that may need to be addressed. We use that
information to create a survivorship care plan. The survivorship care plan is a
roadmap that summarises your medical history, cancer treatment and guidance
for your continued healthcare needs. It will help you clearly communicate your
treatment information and any recommended screening for late effects to your
local primary and specialty healthcare providers. The survivorship care plan
contains details about your diagnosis and treatment as well as your risk factors
for health problems related to your cancer treatment. This plan will help you and
your providers understand how to monitor your health and risk factors as you
age. This plan is updated each year as part of your ACT Clinic visit. It is a tool
that you will be able to use for the rest of your life. You will be given a copy of
your survivorship care plan to share with your primary and specialty healthcare
providers in your local community. You may also access your plan on the St Jude
Portal. A member of our team will let you know when your initial survivorship
care plan is complete. As a childhood cancer survivor, your visits with the ACT
Clinic will include a complete medical checkup, but the visits will be different
than they were in your treating clinic. When you arrive at the ACT Clinic, you will
be greeted by a patient representative who will ask you a few questions. Then, a
nursing assistant will take you to a patient room to obtain some physical
measures. Your nurse and your physician will join you in the patient room. During
your ACT Clinic visit, your care team will review your health history and make
sure you and your family understand your cancer history and any health risks
related to your cancer treatment, complete any needed medical tests, monitor
any ongoing or long-term health problems, check for late effects- those health
problems that develop later because of cancer or its treatment, work with you on
ways to stay healthy as you get older, help you find resources in your local
community, support you as you transition your healthcare needs to primary and
specialty care providers in your home area. Because you are now entering the
next phase of your cancer journey, some of the lab tests and imaging studies you
had while on treatment, may no longer be needed. When imaging is necessary,
most will still be done in the Chillie’s (?) Care Centre. However, some tests such
as breast cancer screening, will be done outside of St Jude. You will contact local
providers for routine immunizations, sports physicals, acute care (when you are
at home and not feeling well), or for routine primary or specialty care visits as
these services are not provided by the ACT Clinic. Just as your original care team,
our experts in treating paediatric cancers, we specialise in meeting the needs of
survivors and paving the way for you to thrive for years to come. Most of your
appointments will be in the ACT Clinic. We also may set up visits with specialty
clinics based on your specific healthcare needs. We may offer testing and make
recommendations for school support or counselling. You will see a social worker
to discuss topics such as health insurance, financial or legal matters, school
issues, and help with finding support resources and primary and specialty
healthcare providers in your local community. This is one of the most important
things we will do together. ACT appointments are usually scheduled once a year
and occur over one to two days. About three months before your ACT
appointment, you will receive a copy of your schedule by mail or through the
patient portal where you can view your schedule anytime. You can also view it in
the ST Jude patient app. Once you receive your schedule, if you have any
questions or concerns, please feel free to contact an ACT Patient Representative
at xxxxxxxxxx. In between your ACT visits at St Jude, you will call your local
doctor if you are injured or sick, but we are happy to speak with you or your
doctor anytime. And you can always reach out to your social worker with any
non-medical questions or concerns. Most ACT patients will continue to be seen at
St Jude until either the age of eighteen or ten years after your diagnosis-
whichever occurs later.
We are happy to welcome you to the ACT Clinic, we want you to know that we
are here for you and we look forward to building a strong and caring relationship
with you. A s we help to continue your transition toward long term care in your
home community.