Continued Success in Providing Timely Palliative Radiation Therapy at the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program: A Review of 2008–2012

Thavarajah, Nemica; Wong, Kelly; Zhang, L.; Bedard, Gillian; Wong, Erin; Tsao, May; Danjoux, Cyril; Barnes, Elizabeth; Sahgal, Arjun; Dennis, Kristopher; Holden, Lori; Lauzon, Natalie; Chow, Edward

doi:10.3747/co.20.1342

Cited by 35 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Between 2008 and 2012 the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program at the Odette Cancer Centre evaluated wait times from referral to consultation for 2742 patients. 14 Although the number of patients in the study was dramatically larger, the percentages of various sites treated were comparable with patients in this study. Once again there was a reduction in the mean number of days from referral to consult in patients referred through the NP compared to the Canadian clinic (1.38 vs. 3).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

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Reducing radiotherapy waiting times for palliative patients: The role of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist

Job

Holt

Bernard

2017

J of Medical Radiation Sci

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IntroductionPalliative radiotherapy is effective in reducing symptom burden and improving quality of life in patients with symptomatic metastatic cancer and should be delivered in a timely manner. The aim of this study was to determine whether referring patients directly to a Palliative Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist (APRT) improves access to palliative radiotherapy and reduces time from referral to treatment.MethodsAt Radiation Oncology Mater Center (ROMC) in Brisbane, Australia a new referral pathway was developed which involved patients requiring palliative radiotherapy, being referred directly to the APRT from a single external hospital medical oncology and palliative care departments. Over a 5 months period, patient demographics and time in working days from referral to treatment were compared for consecutive palliative patients seen within our department. Patients were stratified by method of referral i.e. via the new referral pathway (NP) or via standard referral pathway (SP).ResultsBetween October 2014 and March 2015, a total of 150 patients were referred for palliative radiotherapy. Of these patients, 48 were referred and processed via the NP. There was a significant reduction in the number of days from referral to treatment for patients referred through the NP. Patients referred through the NP via the APRT had a mean and median wait time of 3.5 and 3 days respectively compared with 8.1 and 5 days for patients referred through the SP (P = <0.001). Patients were also more likely to have the treatment completed with less visits to the hospital (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe new referral pathway utilising a dedicated palliative APRT decreased waiting times for patients receiving palliative radiotherapy and improved timely access to the radiotherapy service for both referrers and patients.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…Between 2008 and 2012 the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program at the Odette Cancer Centre evaluated wait times from referral to consultation for 2742 patients 14. Although the number of patients in the study was dramatically larger, the percentages of various sites treated were comparable with patients in this study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

Reducing radiotherapy waiting times for palliative patients: The role of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist

Job

Holt

Bernard

2017

J of Medical Radiation Sci

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“…A standard operating procedure within the RRRP in Toronto is to fax a one-page semistructured interim consultation report to referring physicians on the day of their patient's assessment that describes the RT plan and the potential side effects that can be expected [18,19].…”

Section: Collaboration With Allied Oncology Professionalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid Access Palliative Radiation Therapy Programs: An Efficient Model of Care

et al. 2015

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Palliating symptoms of advanced and metastatic cancers are one of the most common indications for radiation therapy (RT), and the demand for palliative RT is increasing. Dedicated rapid access palliative RT programs improve access to care, and can deliver RT in a more efficient and evidence-based manner than standard RT programs. In this narrative review, we discuss the role of palliative RT in comprehensive cancer care, and challenges that have faced patients trying to access it. We describe how rapid access programs developed to address these challenges and provide an overview of dedicated programs worldwide. Finally, we show how these programs can serve as models for multidisciplinary care and education, and sources of exciting research opportunities in clinical care and advanced technologies.

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“…doctors should communicate and share information regarding bone metastases in order to facilitate their treatment, since bone metastases occur in various types of cancer. It is crucial to establish a multidisciplinary treatment system for the management of bone metastases in hospitals (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Recently, numerous institutions in Japan have organized cancer boards, including doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff, in order to focus on the management of bone metastases (19).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multidisciplinary treatment system for bone metastases for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of malignant spinal cord compression

et al. 2020

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Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) is a serious complication of cancers. The present study aimed to establish a multidisciplinary treatment system for urgent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and referral to orthopedists in order to prevent neurological deficits caused by MSCC. In the present study, the extent to which this system achieved early diagnosis and treatment and prevented MSCC-caused neurological deficits was examined. The records from patients with neurological deficits caused by MSCC before (between April 2007 and March 2012; group A) and after (between April 2012 and March 2017; group B) the establishment of the multidisciplinary system at the Shikoku Cancer Center (Ehime, Japan) were retrospectively evaluated. The numbers of patients with neurological deficits were 38 and 7 in groups A and B, respectively. All patients received radiotherapy. The incidence of neurological deficits was 13.2 and 3.4% in groups A and B, respectively (P<0.001). The proportion of patients with improvement in the severity of neurological deficits was 5.3 and 28.6% in groups A and B, respectively (P<0.001). The interval between physicians' recognition of a neurological deficit and MRI and the start of treatment, the number of cases, and the severity of neurological deficits were evaluated in groups A and B. The median interval between recognition of a neurological deficit by physicians and MRI was 3 and 0 days in groups A and B, respectively (P<0.001). The median interval between physicians' recognition of a neurological deficit and the start of treatment was 3 and 0 days in groups A and B, respectively (P<0.001). By using a multidisciplinary treatment system, the incidence and severity of neurological deficits following treatment were significantly improved. Therefore, the multidisciplinary treatment system used in the present study may be useful for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of MSCC in patients with bone metastases.

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Continued Success in Providing Timely Palliative Radiation Therapy at the Rapid Response Radiotherapy Program: A Review of 2008–2012

Cited by 35 publications

References 13 publications

Reducing radiotherapy waiting times for palliative patients: The role of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist

Reducing radiotherapy waiting times for palliative patients: The role of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist

Rapid Access Palliative Radiation Therapy Programs: An Efficient Model of Care

Multidisciplinary treatment system for bone metastases for early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of malignant spinal cord compression

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