Table 2.
CHESS services listed according to service category
| A. INFORMATION SERVICES | |
| Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | Short answers to hundreds of common lung cancer questions; e.g., “How does chemotherapy work?” or “How do I know if I have depression?” |
| Instant Library | Full-text articles on lung cancer from scientific journals and the popular press; e.g., “Do I Have to Die in Pain?” - PBS |
| Resource Directory | Descriptions of and contacts for lung cancer organizations |
| Web Links | Links to high-quality content in health- and non-health-related sites |
| Cancer News | Summaries of lung cancer news and research; e.g., “Erlotinib Improves Survival in Stage III NSCLC” – August 2009 |
| Personal Stories | Real-life text accounts of how patients and caregivers cope with cancer |
| Caregiver Tips | Brief suggestions on topics written by experts and other CHESS users |
| B. COMMUNICATION SERVICES | |
| Discussion Groups | Limited-access, facilitated online support groups for—separately—patients, caregivers, and bereaved caregivers |
| Ask an Expert | Confidential expert responses to patient and caregiver questions |
| Personal Web Page | Guidance for setting up a patient’s own bulletin board and interactive calendar with family and friends to share updates and request help |
| Clinician Report | Three types: On Demand gives a summary report on a patient to a clinician who logs into CHESS; Threshold Alert sends an email notice to the clinician when the patient exceeds a threshold on a symptom; Clinic Visit Report sends an e-mail notice to the clinician two days before a patient’s scheduled clinic visit, suggesting that the clinician look at the report |
| C. COACHING AND TRAINING SERVICES | |
| Health Status | Prompts users to enter data and provides graphs showing how patient health status is changing |
| Decision Aids | Helps patients and caregivers think through difficult decisions by learning about options, clarifying values, and understanding consequences, e.g., Treatment Decision Aid or Respite Decision Aid |
| Easing Distress | Uses principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy to help patients and caregivers identify emotional distress and cope with it |
| Healthy Relating | Teaches techniques to increase closeness and decrease conflict |
| Action Plan | Guides patients and caregivers in building a plan for change, including identifying and overcoming obstacles |