Cancer Patient Survey Results

The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency is committed to providing high quality care for our patients, families and caregivers. That commitment is supported by our promise to listen, learn and, most importantly, act—to make improvements that are guided by the feedback of those who entrust us with their cancer care.   

The Ambulatory Oncology Patient Satisfaction Survey (AOPSS) gives patients a confidential and anonymous way of sharing details about their experience; providing open and honest feedback; and offering suggestions on how we can improve our care and treatment. This survey allows the SCA to carefully examine and measure our patients’ experience of care, in consultation with our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and use that information to make meaningful changes and improvements to our processes, policies and daily work.

home visit with patient and nurse.

“Our patients, families and caregivers are our north star, guiding the work we do every single day,” said Deb Bulych, President and CEO, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. “Their voice and their wishes need to be heard and respected throughout their cancer journey and beyond. AOPSS allows us to connect with our patients both during and after their treatments and learn more about their experience.”

Between March and June 2023, the SCA’s Epidemiology Department mailed the AOPSS to approximately 3,000 patients who received treatment at the SCA in the previous six months. Patients had to be 18 years of age or older at the time of a visit to one of our cancer centres in Regina or Saskatoon, or one of 16 Community Oncology Program of Saskatchewan (COPS) centers. Nearly 2,000 surveys were returned—an impressive 60% response rate!

This survey includes more than 100 multiple choice questions spanning the cancer care experience, and one open-ended question about how their experience could have been improved. Together, the responses help identify strengths, improvement areas and patient satisfaction. We are pleased to report:

Doctor comforting a senior patient.
  • 52% of respondents rated their outpatient cancer care as excellent.
  • Nearly 34% rated their care as very good.
  • Nearly 11% rated their care as good. 
  • 88% indicated they would “completely” recommend their health-care providers to family and friends. 

The results show that overall patient satisfaction is high. Patients trusted our health-care providers and appreciated their expertise, commitment, compassion and efforts. 

The survey results also identified important opportunities for improvement, including coordination of care; communication; and emotional support throughout the cancer journey. To prioritize these improvements, our teams developed an ambitious action plan, in consultation with our Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC), to outline our goals and actions. Our teams are committed to monitoring their progress and reporting on their work and successes. 

Patient with doctor at an appointment.

The AOPSS is a validated, internationally recognized cancer-specific survey tool that allows for comparability across jurisdictions that use this same survey tool. Comparability is important for recognizing variations in patient experience and identifying opportunities for quality improvement.

Using the AOPSS standardized survey tool, we will follow up with our patients and seek ongoing feedback to understand the impacts of our action plan on patient satisfaction. Subsequent surveys will also allow us to identify further improvements that can be made to our care and services. We understand that health care and the unique needs of cancer patients and families are always evolving and there will always be opportunities for improvement. 

“The key is to truly listen to our patients—to let their voice guide the work and lead the way. They will always take us in the right direction.”

For more information on the survey, please see our AOPSS Snapshot, which is available in the Accountability and Publications section in the About Us drop-down menu.