The Institute of Medicine's Committee on Psychosocial Services to Cancer Patients/Families in a Community Setting released its report, Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs, Tuesday, October 23, 2007. The report is available on the IOM website.

This report, requested by Congress and the National Institutes of Health, breaks new ground in approaching the care of cancer patients.  Its recommendations, guidance, and tools describe how to assure that individuals diagnosed with cancer are able to live as well and as long as they can.

The Committee’s report should be of interest to all individuals and organizations concerned with cancer care as well as those concerned with the care of patients with other serious, complex illnesses. Experts in oncology, health care delivery and economics, clinical care, workforce education and training, mental health, patient-provider communication, chronic illness care, managed care, and gerontology contributed to the report and its recommendations.

A public presentation and discussion of the report took place on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 in the Lecture Room of the National Academy of Sciences, 2100 C Street, NW from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.