Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2019

INTRODUCTION:

In 2016-17, admission to hospital for chemotherapy was the second most common reason for admission to hospital in Australia.  With a staggering one in two people predicted to experience cancer by the time they reach 85 years of age, the number of cancer patients is set to dramatically increase with the increasing and aging population.  However, cancer incidence alone does not predict the future needs of the population.  Cancer prevalence, which includes the retreatment or continuous treatment of patients living longer due to improved outcomes, is a much better indicator of future health service requirements.  Additionally, future health service requirements will be heavily impacted by improvements in chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment options for cancers where historically there was no or limited treatment available.

The impact of this increasing burden on patients, their families and the healthcare system demand new service delivery models need to be found.  Home-based treatment is one option.

AIM:

To review and demonstrate the trend toward home-based chemotherapy services in Australian cancer patients.

METHOD:

Key Government, Private Health Insurance (PHI), healthcare service and consumer factors which are influencing service delivery options for cancer patients, were reviewed. 

De-identified data was collected from chemo@home’s patient database during the period July 2013 until December 2018.

OUTCOMES:

Key influences identified and reviewed include:

• The Australian Federal Government’s Private Health Insurance Reforms;
• Legislation changes enabling remuneration for home service provision;
• Attitudinal shift in PHI industry (advertising, contracts and commercial arrangements including acquisitions);
• Increasing acceptance of home-based chemotherapy by hospitals and clinicians;
• chemo@home’s developing and successful service delivery across Australia;
• chemo@home patient experience data.

CONCLUSION:

Key drivers are inexorably shifting provision of care out of hospitals and into the home.