Former Advance Care Planning Australia (ACPA) program directors, Helena Rodi and Linda Nolte, presented Advance care planning in cancer services: the evidence, national collaboration and sustainable resource development at the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting #COSA22 last week.
The original study, conducted in 2019-2020, was funded by Cancer Australia and identified the importance of advance care planning conversations to cancer patients and carers. It found 93% of advance care planning discussions occurred with family or friends, but only 4% occurred with a health professional. The clear conclusion was that ACP should be introduced early across multiple interactions with health professionals.
ACPA staff collaborated with many cancer organisations, including the Victorian Integrated Cancer Services, to undertake the study, develop patient resources and deliver health professional education.
For further information on the study, see Cancer patients want end-of-life discussion to plan care.