Aims: To assess if the availability of a purpose-designed brochure within a cancer service aided doctors’ discussions with their patients on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and helped patients understand the effects of CAM during their chemotherapy treatment.
Methods: 17 cancer care doctors consulting in an adult day unit completed a structured post-intervention feedback survey form and 30 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment were provided the brochure and completed the local health service consumer testing feedback form.
Results: All cancer care doctors perceived a need for the brochure, and recommended the brochure to their patients. All doctors thought the brochure made it easier for them to discuss CAM with their patients and 59% believed that it saved them time during patient consultations. 90% of cancer patients reported the brochure had enough information to answer their CAM questions and all patients thought the information was easy to read and understand.
Conclusions: An evidence-based CAM-with-chemotherapy patient brochure was perceived to have enabled cancer care doctors to discuss CAM with their patients, answered patients’ CAM questions and may save consultation time.