GV Health Survivorship Care Planning Pilot Project
Overview:
The GV Health Survivorship Care Planning Pilot Project, part of the Victorian Statewide Collaboration to Enhance Cancer Survivorship Care, aimed to implement and evaluate a co-designed survivorship care planning (SCP) resource. This resource supports cancer survivors transitioning from treatment to survivorship by providing self-management information. The pilot ran from September to November 2023 in GV Health’s Day Oncology Unit (DOU).
Methodology:
The project integrated the SCP resource into the DOU discharge process. Ethics approval was obtained from GV Health's Human Research Ethics Subcommittee. Initial diagnostics involved process mapping and stakeholder consultations to identify gaps in survivorship care. The resource was tailored to include local support services and was delivered as an ‘end of treatment pack’ to 19 patients.
Implementation & Evaluation:
Staff received pre-pilot education, and a local project champion promoted and monitored the SCP delivery. Patient feedback indicated high satisfaction, with 100% finding the resource user-friendly and informative. There was an increase in referrals to supportive care services.
Sustainability & Recommendations:
The SCP resource is now integrated into the DOU discharge process, with ongoing monitoring to embed it into practice. Future steps include expanding outreach to underserved cohorts (e.g., surgical/oral chemotherapy patients) and offering survivorship information in diverse formats to accommodate patient preferences.
Conclusion:
The pilot successfully embedded a survivorship care strategy, providing essential resources for patient's post-treatment. Strong governance, leadership, and staff engagement were vital for success, and ongoing refinements will further enhance care delivery.