ABC News story
This study was recently featured on ABC National nightly news. To view the video, please click the link below.
Survivorship
‘Survivorship’ represents a unique phase in the cancer journey continuum, beginning at the completion of primary and adjuvant cancer treatment and continuing until recurrence or death from other causes. Early survivorship is typically characterised as a period of transition; during this period issues related to diagnosis and treatment diminish in importance, while other issues, such as management of late effects, rehabilitation, health promotion, and psychosocial support needs, increase.
After treatment, the survivor’s oncology team may take less responsibility for their healthcare needs and the survivor will, in most cases, be referred to primary/community care. The Institute of Medicine’s report ‘From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition (‘the IOM’ report) identified the survivorship phase as a time when cancer patients can be confused about the role of various health care providers in their ongoing care and even what should constitute appropriate follow up care.
The survivorship phase is therefore increasingly recognised as one which is fraught with ill-defined pathways of care.
There remains a need for innovative models of comprehensive care that address survivors’ physical and psychosocial needs in long-term survivorship, which is when the incidence of treatment-related toxicities increases whilst engagement in care decrease. To address survivors late-effects and diminishing engagement in long-term follow-up survivorship care, we have therefore developed the “Engage” program.
After treatment, the survivor’s oncology team may take less responsibility for their healthcare needs and the survivor will, in most cases, be referred to primary/community care. The Institute of Medicine’s report ‘From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor: Lost in Transition (‘the IOM’ report) identified the survivorship phase as a time when cancer patients can be confused about the role of various health care providers in their ongoing care and even what should constitute appropriate follow up care.
The survivorship phase is therefore increasingly recognised as one which is fraught with ill-defined pathways of care.
There remains a need for innovative models of comprehensive care that address survivors’ physical and psychosocial needs in long-term survivorship, which is when the incidence of treatment-related toxicities increases whilst engagement in care decrease. To address survivors late-effects and diminishing engagement in long-term follow-up survivorship care, we have therefore developed the “Engage” program.
WHAT IS THE "ENGAGE" PROGRAM?
Engage is a multidisciplinary program, built in collaboration with Sydney Children’s Hospital and UNSW Sydney, including scientists and healthcare professionals from various specialties, recognizing that survivorship care extends beyond the clinic and involves a multitude of factors impacting survivors and beyond their childhood years. Engage is distance-delivered, involving synchronous participation between the nurse and survivors using secure videoconferencing software or by telephone, based on participants’ preference.
Engage is a multidisciplinary program, built in collaboration with Sydney Children’s Hospital and UNSW Sydney, including scientists and healthcare professionals from various specialties, recognizing that survivorship care extends beyond the clinic and involves a multitude of factors impacting survivors and beyond their childhood years. Engage is distance-delivered, involving synchronous participation between the nurse and survivors using secure videoconferencing software or by telephone, based on participants’ preference.
What this study aims to achieve
Our team’s body of work includes various iterations of the Engage program (Engage CCS, Engage Brain & Engage AYA). The Engage program aims to empower survivors by enhancing their self-efficacy in managing their complex health needs in survivorship and, in turn, improve their quality of life.
We are currently investigating the effect of the Engage program on survivor’s health-related self-efficacy, quality of life, health behaviours, physical and mental wellbeing, healthcare use and satisfaction with survivorship care.
We are currently investigating the effect of the Engage program on survivor’s health-related self-efficacy, quality of life, health behaviours, physical and mental wellbeing, healthcare use and satisfaction with survivorship care.
WHAT DOES THE ENGAGE PROGRAM INVOLVE?
The Engage intervention, in brief, involves:
- an online survivor-reported health and lifestyle assessment,
- a telehealth video or telephone nurse-led consultation with the survivor,
- a multidisciplinary case review (including oncologist, survivorship nurse, social worker and specialists)
- written, personalized recommendations and care plan for survivors and their general practitioner (GP),
- a second telehealth video or telephone nurse-led consultation to provide survivors with a greater understanding of the recommendations and troubleshoot barriers to achieving them
Would you like to learn more?
If you would like to learn more about the Engage study, please contact the study coordinators Dr Jordana McLoone [email protected]or Dr Christina Signorelli: [email protected]
If you’d like to read the findings of the Engage pilot study, please click here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32755982/.
If you’d like to read the findings of the Engage pilot study, please click here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32755982/.
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