Possibilities and Limitations in Person-Centred Cancer Care: A Qualitative Study

Background For cancer care to be high-quality, a shift is needed from a healthcare system that is designed around disease and institutions to one devised with a holistic perspective on human beings. Aim To gain a deeper understanding of healthcare professionals' experiences of the possibilities and limitations for providing person-centred care to alleviate suffering among patients within cancer care. Method and Material A qualitative and explorative design was used. The data material consisted of texts from four focus group interviews with 15 nurses and physicians from a cancer clinic in Finland during January and February 2024. A qualitative content analysis was applied as a method. The COREQ checklist was used. Findings Continuity, multidisciplinary collaboration, supporting collegial relationships, work ethics, and competence were seen as factors promoting person-centred care. The organisation's various boundaries, failure demand, and emotional limitations were seen as factors that limited person-centred care. Discussion The organisational management and healthcare professionals' ability to collaborate with the patient can promote opportunities and limit barriers in the unpredictable reality of cancer care and so lead to increased person-centred care. Conclusions Healthcare professionals' internal abilities are comprehensive. If the healthcare organisation were more integrated through better collaboration and flexibility between different instances, cancer care could alleviate patient suffering and simultaneously reduce failure demand. Relevance to Clinical Practice Factors such as failure demand slow down care work, and by gaining a deeper understanding of the problems, leaders, together with healthcare professionals in healthcare organisations, can find solutions to address the problems and save time and resources for the benefit of both patients and healthcare professionals.