Aim:
Supportive care (SC) is an integral part of optimal care for cancer consumers. The ability to give consumers "quality of life" journey experiences goes beyond building institutional capacity in SC. It can include providing consumers guided pathways to access institutional SC screening and referral.
A joint SMICS and RMIT consumers lead project is under way to prove this assertion holds.
Method:
The project, still in development, takes a multi-disciplinary and translation approach, using mix methods from clinical, ICT and business disciplines. The key product outcome is a new consumer capacity building model that is suitable for use in integrated cancer servicing environments. The research involves:
1. analysing SMICS's approaches in building SC capacity in four hospital groups;
2. investigating how Internet technology can be used to educate and guide consumers to access institutional SC screening and referral services.
Therefore, the research outcomes entail:
1. defining new consumer centred SC self learning and needs evaluation and reporting capabilities and
2. using Internet technology to enable consumers acquire these capabilities, as new online SC services.
Results:
A prototype information system tool (http://chancheah.wix.com/supportivecare) has been produced to show capabilities that constitute consumer directed
1. SC learning
2. SC needs evaluation
3. Reporting of their SC concerns to their nominated doctors and other multi-disciplinary care providers.
Interim Conclusion:
The design and prototyping of the consumer SC tool shows that an integrated consumer and institutional approach to building SC capacity is viable by using Internet technology.
Future work will measure and validate the effectiveness of the tool. This will involve partnership with SMICS networks of cancer consumer groups to have their members use and test the effectiveness and identify the value add of the prototype tool.