Providing Cancer Care Closer to Home for Patients With Multiple Myeloma

There is very limited data on the utilization of National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center (NCI-CCC) satellite sites in general. Of what is available, most is in regards to providing chemotherapy at facilities closer to patients' home. These "satellite chemotherapy infusion centers", typically community-based treatment locations at community hospitals/facilities, freestanding clinics, or mobile units, are reported to be well liked by patients who utilize their services and reduce their travel times and expenses. In these studies patients still remained in the care of their current provider and site and are required to travel to the site for clinical visits and other appointments. It is currently unknown if patients are willing to transfer their care to a different provider to alleviate travel burden. In addition, although increased travel burden has been lower quality of life in cross-sectional studies, no data exists suggesting that these reducing travel burden can improve these outcomes intra-patient, to the knowledge of the investigators. The patient roles of the multiple myeloma clinical providers at the Siteman primary location have grown in recent years. The providers have determined a need to refer some patients to the satellite sites to relieve congestion at the site while also hopefully improving the clinical experience for those patients. This study is a natural experiment of this process.

-At baseline, the participant and the provider will make a decision on if the participant will transfer care to a satellite location.

-At baseline, the participant and the provider will make a decision on if the participant will transfer care to a satellite location.

Proportion of eligible participants who successfully transfer to the provider at a satellite location

Explore differences in participant experience between those that elect to transfer to a satellite site and those who decline to transfer. The Modified Treatment Burden Questionnaire will be completed at baseline (time of transfer decision) and again approximately 6 months later. There are 3 questions with answers ranging from 0 (not a problem) to 10 (big problem). The higher the score the more treatment burden the participant experienced.

Satisfaction of with participant-provider interactions as measured by the Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction

Explore differences in participant satisfaction between those that elect to transfer to a satellite site and those who decline to transfer. The Questionnaire on the Quality of Physician-Patient Interaction will be completed at baseline (time of transfer decision) and again approximately 6 months later. There are 14 questions with answers ranging from 1 (do not agree) to 5 (I fully agree). The higher the score the higher the quality of the physician-patient interactions.

Explore differences in participant financial toxicity between those that elect to transfer to a satellite site and those who decline to transfer. The Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity will be completed at baseline (time of transfer decision) and again approximately 6 months later. There are 11 questions with answers ranging from 0 (not at all) to 4 (very much). The higher the score the less financial toxicity the participant experienced.

Eligibility Criteria At least 18 years old Diagnosed with multiple myeloma Receiving care from a provider within the Division of Oncology at the primary Siteman Cancer Center site Resides within the catchment area of a Siteman Cancer Center satellite site Able to read, speak, and understand English Willing to provide informed consent

Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine