Poster Presentation Cancer Survivorship Conference 2023

Strategies for sustainability: Implementation insights for long-term sustainment of programs that routinely collect Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) in cancer care clinical settings (#139)

Carolyn Mazariego 1 2 , Monika Krzyzanowska 3 , Mike Lovas 4 , Geoff Delaney 5 6 7 , Michael Jefford 8 9 , Raymond J Chan 10 , Antoinette Anazodo 11 12 13 , Bena Brown 14 , Lesley Millar 15 , Natasha Roberts 16 17 , Bogda Koczwara 18 19
  1. School of Population Health, University of New South Wales , Randwick, NSW, Australia
  2. The Daffodil Centre, a joint venture with Cancer Council NSW, The University of Sydney , Sydney , NSW , Australia
  3. Cancer Clinical Research Unit , Princess Margaret Cancer Centre , Toronto, ON, Canada
  4. Cancer Digital Intelligence Unit, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre , Toronto , ON, Canada
  5. Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research , Liverpool , NSW , Australia
  6. South Western Sydney Clinical School , UNSW Medicine and Health, Kensington, NSW, Australia
  7. Liverpool Cancer Therapy Centre , Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool , NSW, Australia
  8. Department of Health Services Research , Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre , Melbourne , VIC , Australia
  9. Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  10. Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University , Adelaide , SA, Australia
  11. School of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales , Randwick , NSW , Australia
  12. Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children's Hospital , Randwick , NSW, Australia
  13. Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital , Randwick , NSW , Australia
  14. Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Healthcare, Metro South Health, Eight Mile Plains, QLD, Australia
  15. Medical School , University of Western Australia , Perth , WA, Australia
  16. Metro North Health Service, Herston, QLD, Australia
  17. University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, Herston, QLD, Australia
  18. Department of Clinical Oncology , Flinders Medical Centre , Adelaide , SA, Australia
  19. Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University , Adelaide , SA, Australia

Background: Despite the known benefits of routinely collecting Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) in cancer care clinical services, implementation of such programs have been uncoordinated and inconsistent in Australia. In Canada, PRO collections have been routine practice for over 10 years and thus learnings from these mature programs may provide useful insights for Australian practice. This study aimed to examine influencing factors that contribute to the sustainability of a mature program of routinely collected PROs in cancer care clinical services.

Methods: Key stakeholders in PRO collection programs across the 14 cancer centres in the province of Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in a qualitative interview. Using an implementation science-based approach through process mapping and qualitative interviews, factors influencing sustainability were explored. The interview guide was designed using the domains of the Program Sustainability Assessment Tool. Influencing barriers and enablers were identified across recommendations for sustainability through thematic analysis using framework methodology.

Results: Twenty-four key stakeholders participated in interviews. Example roles of participants ranged from PRO project coordinators, nurse- and clinician- leads for implementation of PRO programs across provincial cancer centres, academic researchers involved in pilot testing and program design, and PRO policy coordinators from peak body governmental organisations. Thematic analysis of recommendations to implement and sustain PRO collection programs identified four major themes with recommendations within each; planning for success, acute necessities, ironing out issues, long-term essentials. Key recommendations included provision of a PRO implementation coordinator, selection of action-based outcome and process measures, and reiteration and feedback.

Conclusions: This study provides recommendations and insights from a mature PRO collection program. These insights, along with patient perspectives, should be considered in Australian efforts to implement similar PRO collection programs within cancer care clinical services.