Telephone care management could reduce the financial burdens on hospitals and improve care of cancer patients, according to the results of a recent study.

The year-long study, undertaken by medical specialists in America, saw 16 medical practices provide regular care management via telephone. They provided pain-specific education to patients, who responded to online surveys regarding their symptoms and answered questions via interactive voice-recorded calls.

Those in nurse manager jobs then monitored the results as they came in, working in partnership with the patient's oncologist to determine the best course of action. When compared to a control group, results showed that patients who were part of the care management programme reported significantly lower levels of pain and depression.

According to Nurse.com, this ultimately improved their quality of life and their level of care satisfaction.

The researchers behind the study confirmed: "During the initial study, one full-time care manager handled approximately 60 patients at a time. However in a real-world practice setting, a full-time care manager could likely handle more patients, with the difference being attributed to research-related work."

"A registered nurse or nurse practitioners, ideally with experience in oncology and/or palliative care, can serve as a care manager," they concluded on MedBlits.com