"Shuttle sheet": a patient-held medical record for pediatric oncology families.

A patient-held medical record used by a pediatric oncology unit is described. Each patient's family is provided with a folder containing detailed information about the patient's current treatment. The record helps orient all health care workers involved in the patient's management to the treatment schedule, including exact doses of drugs. Details of blood counts and treatment given are entered by health care workers at each consultation, but the record is always retained by the family. The benefits of this record are that it saves time, reduces the likelihood of errors in scheduling and doses of cytotoxic drugs, and facilitates continuation of therapy at locations away from the supervising oncology unit. It reduces the amount of correspondence required for patient care, is a useful diary and treatment planner for the patient's family and hospital staff, and is an educational resource for the patient's family. It is a useful adjunct to the hospital's medical record for clinical trial data, is easily replaced if lost, and is inexpensive. It also assists surveillance of long-term survivors. The record is particularly valuable when used with patients who are being treated or assessed at more than one institution or by multiple health care workers. The record is in its 12th year of service and is used by more than 95% of patients on therapy attending the unit.