Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Survey on patterns of travel for patients attending chemotherapy day units in Monash Health- a local experience (#203)

Chun Loo Gan 1 , Joseph Gruner 1 , Eva Segelov 1
  1. Medical Oncology, Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Main Objectives

To describe various travel related parameters experienced by cancer patients such as travelling distance, time, costs and modes of transport in relation to their attendance at chemotherapy day units. Additionally, it seeks to determine the impact of travel on cancer patient’s experience and quality of life.

Background

The growing number of cancer patients, coupled with increasing use of outpatient chemotherapeutic agents, have led to higher demand for chemotherapy day units. There is a paucity of literature which explore the travel experience of cancer patients receiving treatment in chemotherapy day units in an Australian setting. As one of the largest public health services in Victoria, Monash health Department of Oncology provides cancer care to more than 1.5 million residents of southern Melbourne and south east Victoria. This descriptive cross-sectional survey aims to provide some understanding on the travel patterns of cancer patients who attend chemotherapy day units across the three campuses of Monash health in Victoria. The information gathered will provide further insight into cancer patient’s experience and may assist in improving delivery of existing services.

Study Designs and Methods

A literature review was conducted to gain an understanding on cancer or non-cancer patients’ travel experience associated with outpatient attendance. Detailed discussions were held with many patients and healthcare workers to identify areas of interest relating to travel experience. The emerging themes from our initial findings were:

  1. For those who had to travel long distances, there appears to be a significant impact of travel distance on disruptions to daily activities of patients and their carers, such as work schedule, managing home responsibilities, missing out on social activities and fatigue associated with travel.
  2. For those who did not have to travel long distances, traffic condition is often underappreciated as a factor for good or poor travel experience.
  3. Appointment timing i.e. morning or afternoon may be a significant factor for travel experience

A draft survey questionnaire which consists of 15 questions was developed based on literature review and these discussions. Patients presenting consecutively to Monash Health. Chemotherapy day units (Moorabbin, Clayton and Dandenong Campus) will be recruited over a 2-4 weeks period. Our target recruitment is 400 respondents. The data will be collected and descriptive analyses will be undertaken and the results will become available for COSA ASM.