A patient advisory board has been established at the Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), enabling those affected to play an active role in research and care.
Having a say, and getting involved: Participation formats such as patient advisory boards are becoming increasingly important at cancer centers. They promote dialogue between clinics, researchers, and those affected, and enable patients to actively participate in medical progress. Exchange on an equal footing strengthens patient-centered care and promotes the development of practical innovations.
At Mannheim University Hospital, this participatory approach is being promoted by Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC). The MCC’s patient advisory board was founded in February of this year and currently consists of six volunteer members who are themselves affected by cancer. They contribute their personal perspectives to clinical and scientific projects, making a valuable contribution to patient-centered research.
In addition, the advisory board will play a central role in longer-term initiatives to improve the quality of patient care. Already in its first official meeting, the advisory board made decisive contributions, including to the planned digital patient education as part of the M²OLIE Closed-Loop Process.
Another key topic was the digital patient admission system TEDIAS: Test and Development Center for Digital Anamnesis Systems (www.tedias-ahead.de), which is being developed in cooperation with the Fraunhofer-Institut.
The advisory board’s feedback is of great importance for the further development of these digital solutions – both in a research context and for everyday clinical practice. It helps to make innovative technologies more user-friendly and tailor them to the needs of patients. The active involvement of the advisory board ensures that the perspective of those affected is at the center of attention, thus contributing significantly to more individualized and better patient care.
The voluntary work of the patient advisory board is supported and funded by various institutions at Mannheim University Hospital. The committee was established and its content developed in close cooperation with the Clinic for Radiation Therapy and Radiooncology, as well as representatives from the M²OLIE Administration Office, self-help groups, oncology nursing, and psycho-oncology (contact Grit.Welzel@umm.de).
The new Patient Advisory Board at the Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC): The photo shows five of the six founding members.
Click here to read the article by the Department of Radiation Therapy and Radiation Oncology at Mannheim University Hospital.
