Fostering Integration of General Practices

with Cancer Services through Improved

Communication Pathways

Andrew Knight

Fairfield GP Unit

The Fairfield GP Unit

Andrew Knight, Siaw-Teng Liaw

SW Sydney LHD Cancer Services

Geoff Delaney

The Ingham Institute

Afaf Girgis

The SW Sydney Medicare Local

Rene Pennock/Keith McDonald

The Cancer Institute of NSW

2 projects

1. Needs analysis semistructured interviews 22 GPs across the region– Like cancer services

– Want information/access

– Patient care letters not timely

2. Speed up letters– Produce them quicker

– Transmit them better

Q1. What are we trying to achieve?

Letters in a week.

Q2. How will we know the change is an

improvement?

Mosaic – dictation to approval of letters

Q.3 What changes do we think will make a

difference?

Process map and PDSA/rapid improvement cycles

Aim: letters within a week…

Expert reference group – admin, oncologist,IT,

GP practice manager, ML

Microteam meetings

• Rapid improvement cycles to redesign process map

• Dictation to approval

Priorities

1. Sustainable and routine

– Document the new process

– Regular data part of KPI dashboard

Priorities

2. Digital transmission

Currently mail.

Considered fax…

Digital

• The agenda

• Rapidly evolving environment

• Conversation begun

Our strategy

• Mosaic to Cerner

• Cerner to GPs

– “GP communications”

– Argus/Healthlink

– Health E Net

• GP communications

• Plug into what follows

Conclusion

• General practice and cancer services must work

together

• Partnerships required

• Timely communication necessary

• Possible to improve

• E health solutions required