In 2007, The MCA charged a Quality of Life Task Force (QOLTF) to investigate the needs of Minnesota survivors and those who provide care for them. The QOLTF was made up of health care professionals (e.g., oncologists, oncology nurses, social workers) from numerous health systems and community organizations as well as individual cancer survivors. This group contacted the 20 largest hospital or health care systems in MN to determine if they are using a survivor care plan (SCP) and gathered the tools currently in use. While a few hospital systems and some comprehensive cancer care centers were in the process of creating and piloting their own SCPs, use was sporadic. An online search for SCPs available identified 24 and a systematic comparison of the common elements indicated many of the tools needed improvement. Many were either too detailed, too clinical or too challenging to use by lay persons. Others were too simplified to convey meaningful information.

The smaller hospital systems without a SCP recognized the need, however they reported barriers in adopting a SCP. Many did not have the resources (either professional or financial) to create their own tool and some existing tools are the sole property of a single entity (branded for that organization).  These health care systems requested that the MCA create a single, comprehensive and user-friendly SCP.  Based on this feedback and the results of the comparison of SCPs in use nationwide, the QOLTF determined that time and expertise should be devoted to creating a SCP and thus the Survivor Care Plan Project Team was developed.