The Live Voice Answer initiative: Supporting oncology patients beyond the clinic

In 2016, a Live Voice Answer symptom management and distress telephone line was developed at a large regional cancer centre in Toronto. Prior to the initiation of Live Voice Answer, the previous telephone practice involved patients leaving a voicemail message for a nurse without a definitive return call time. An interprofessional team, including patient partners, sought to address this drawback and ensure all patients living with cancer have access to a nurse in real time (live voice) when they called the centre. After piloting the feasibility of real time telephone access, the Live Voice Answer initiative expanded beyond the pilot to meet the needs of all patients and families. Overall, the Live Voice Answer initiative has led to marked improvements in patient satisfaction compared to the pre-pilot state and timeliness of telephone access for patients and their families. This article describes the Live Voice Answer initiative, process improvements, and evaluation results.