Cancer Services Outreach Program in the ‘Iron Triangle’, South Australia

Dr Dagmara Poprawski, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Australia*
A/Pr Ken Pittman, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Australia
Dr John Bonifant, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Australia
Dr John Norman, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Australia
Dr Roger Hunt, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Australia

Australians are in need of cancer services more than at any previous time. Indeed, one in every three Australians will be touched by this disease.

The rural and remote communities are disadvantaged due to the tyranny of distance, the paucity of cancer services availability, and the increased financial costs when accessing cancer health care provision. The example of specialist cancer services in the ‘Iron Triangle’ area of South Australia, shows how health care can be not only augmented in the rural setting, but also improved in terms of holistic, personalised, and patient oriented care.

In particular, the ability to have a seamless and multidisciplinary approach allows patients and their families to receive the best available care (including latest trials) from the time of the diagnosis to the end of life. This occurs by having oncology, haematology, radiotherapy, and palliative care specialists available at the outreach clinics on a regular basis.

This approach will be highlighted by case studies that illustrate the specialist team approach and how it is integrated with the local hospital, allied health services, and the primary care giver (i.e. the general practitioner).

The Specialist Outreach Service by Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide will be shown as an example of what can be achieved in all Australian rural and remote communities. Despite limited resources, through the integration of metropolitan resources and the local knowledge and experience, rural patients and their families could find themselves able to travel less to the tertiary institutions, and have the majority of their treatment locally to increase the support from their family and local general practitioner, but knowing their specialist team is on call to provide guidance and necessary advice at all times.

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