Development and Implementation of a Pediatric Integrative Oncology Professional Education Strategy

Alternative and complementary therapies have been shown to provide benefit to patients while undergoing cancer treatment, yet these therapies are often not recommended to patients by their oncology care team. It has been shown also that patients with cancer are using alternative and complementary methods, yet are sometimes not talking with their providers about this usage. At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston, MA, adults are more likely than pediatric patients to use complementary therapies on-site at the hospital. Research on these therapies for pediatric patients is evolving and providers have commented that a lack of research can sometimes be a reason for lack of referral. This paper will explore an initiative to integrate complementary therapies in the pediatric oncology clinic at DFCI. Strategies such as Demonstration Days and educational materials and implementation procedures will be discussed. Evaluations from integration events have been analyzed and will be presented. Offering integraive therapies in pediatric oncology is important and necessary in offering comprehensive cancer care.