Background:
Oncology pharmacists play an integral role within the multidisciplinary cancer care team. Within medical oncology and haematology treatment delivery, there is a well-defined scope of practice for clinical pharmacists. An emerging model of care is the integration of day oncology, radiation oncology and pharmacy services into comprehensive cancer treatment centres. Ensuring continuity of patient care and medication safety at a site-wide level across these services is paramount. Accordingly, it is expected that the clinical pharmacist role will continue to develop and evolve into the radiation oncology setting which, to date, remains significantly less defined.
Aims:
This study will explore the medication management process of radiation oncology patients receiving treatment within an integrated oncology centre.
The primary aim is to define and develop the scope of clinical pharmacy services required within the radiation oncology setting.
Methods:
This study will focus on the prescribing of medications by radiation oncologists during patient consultations. Over a four week period, prescriptions from three radiation oncologists will be reconciled against four primary criteria including (1) legislative requirements, (2) PBS adherence, (3) allergy recording and (4) medication history documentation. A standardised checklist will be implemented to determine if each criteria has been met, with further information to be obtained from the patient’s health assessment form and profile within the electronic medical record system, Aria®.
Results / Conclusions:
An investigation into the four primary criteria will be undertaken to assess the current medication management process of radiation oncology patients.
Results will be analysed to determine if any preliminary recommendations can be made regarding the provision of clinical pharmacist services in the radiation oncology setting and how this could contribute to standardizing medication safety throughout integrated oncology centres.