DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC CANCER REFERRAL FORMS VIA HEALTHLINK

DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRONIC CANCER REFERRAL FORMS VIA HEALTHLINK Ms. Gemma Garvan, Ms. Karina Hull, Ms. Bronagh Kennedy, Mr. Nathan Senthil, Mr. Martin Krim, The National Healthlink Project Mr. Martin Buckley, Mr. Donnacha Creagh, Ms. Eleanor Whelton, IMS Department, St. James’s Hospital Professor John Reynolds, Ms. Eileen Nolan, Ms. Hilary Craig, Regional Oncology Programme Office, South Western Area Dublin, HSE Background • The National Healthlink Project in conjunction with the IMS Department, St. James’s Hospital and Regional Oncology Programme Office (ROPO) Health Service, Executive – South Western Area explored the possibility of developing online GP site specific oncology referral forms. • The best portal for this development was seen to be through the Healthlink structure. – This would ensure patient confidentiality was maintained and build on the existing Healthlink resources that are in place. – Healthlink have agreed to work with the ROPO, the IMS Department, SJH and the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) on this project. Introduction The use of Healthlink as a portal for referring patients has been well established. The NeuroLink project received the HSE health innovation award for the development of electronic neurology referral forms which were first piloted by Dr. Niall Tubridy at St. Vincent’s Hospital. The first electronic cancer referral form went live in October 2008. This was an upper GI cancer referral form and was piloted at St. James’s Hospital in conjunction with Professor John Reynolds. The NCCP in conjunction with Mr. Thomas Lynch and the Urological Team at St. James’s Hospital, are supporting the development of prostate cancer electronic cancer referral form, which hope to go live by January 2009. Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) The ROPO worked closely with with the South Inner City GP Partnership and updated the Irish College of General Practitioners about the development of the electronic cancer referral forms. We followed the recommendations of the report ‘Early Detection of Cancer, A Needs Assessment of General Practitioners’ which was published by the ICGP and The Irish Cancer Society. Methods employed • The ROPO formed a strategic alliance with Healthlink and the IT Department at St. James’s Hospital. • The regional upper GI cancer referral form was used as a template and Healthlink developed the form. Cancer Referral Process via Healthlink Patient goes to GP with symptoms GP suspects a possible cancer Cancer team gives GP advise only GP Refers patient to cancer team via healthLink cancer referral form Cancer Team logs onto HealthLink and recieves GP referral Cancer team gives GP advise and suggests investigations Cancer Team replies to referring GP Cancer Team give GP urgent appointment for patient Benefits • • Streamline the cancer referral process Secure transmission of confidential patient data (The Irish Data commissioner has recently raised concerns about the confidentiality of faxing of patient referrals) The GP can provide more relevant information enabling the cancer teams to make a more informed decision Improved communication between referring physicians and the medical facility • • Benefits Continued • Better service quality for patients through improvement of information quality • Less time for routine tasks required • Lower administration costs • Efficient, future-safe IT infrastructure • Reduction in telephone enquiries • Missing referral letters should no longer be a problem Recommendations • It is hoped to expand the development of electronic cancer referral forms, and work is already underway on the development of a prostate and other urological cancers referral form. • An evaluation of the online forms should be undertaken and should take into account all stakeholders. References • A Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland National Cancer Forum 2006 • Early Detection of Cancer, A Needs Assessment of General Practitioners Irish College of General Practitioners, and the Irish Cancer Society • GP Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, ROPO, HSE • GP Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer East Coast Area Health board • Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence