In our latest blog, Dorset Cancer Centre project manager Wendy Green talks about the progress of the cancer follow-up pathway, which is a key pilot for our Citizen Portal.
Cancer survival rates in the UK continue to improve. According to Cancer Research UK, they have doubled in the last 40 years and now, following a diagnosis of cancer in England & Wales, 50% of patients will survive for 10 years or more.
After successful treatment for cancer, patients are monitored by their hospital team for a period of several years, to ensure that they remain well and that if their cancer does return it is detected and dealt with as quickly as possible. During this period each patient will adhere to a schedule of tests specific to their type of cancer. This might include blood tests, scans, X-rays or other procedures, such as colonoscopies or mammograms. Historically the patient would regularly attend hospital Out Patient appointments to receive the result of each routine test undertaken.
Now that many more patients are living with and beyond cancer this model of follow up care is creating an increasing Out Patient workload and can be very time consuming and frustrating for patients who are doing well and getting on with their lives. The Dorset Cancer Partnership has therefore determined to make better use of modern technology in order to improve and streamline the model of follow up care for cancer patients across the county.
Soon many Dorset patients who have been successfully treated for Breast, Colorectal, Prostate or Testicular cancer will be enrolled on a new remote follow up care pathway. The Dorset Care Record will be utilised to monitor and share routine test results for patients who are judged to be at low risk of further problems or a recurrence of their cancer.
These patients will be enrolled on new cancer follow-up pathways, developed within the Dorset Care Record. This will mean that clinical staff can safely and efficiently ensure that each patient follows a pre-determined schedule of tests and whenever new test results are available they are reviewed promptly and appropriate actions are taken.
Meanwhile, these patients will each be provided with a log in for the DCR Citizen Portal, where they will be able to securely receive and review their own test results and updates from the clinicians caring for them. In this way the need to attend Out Patient appointments will be dramatically reduced. For as long as a patient remains well all communication will be on line, but if any test result indicates a change in their condition they will be promptly called back into clinic for further advice and investigation.