Parking at Victorian cancer treatment centers – issues and impacts — ASN Events
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Parking at Victorian cancer treatment centers – issues and impacts (#254)

Sue Merritt 1 , Anna Boltong 1 2 3 , Eliisa Fok 1
  1. Cancer Information and Support Services, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  2. Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne , VIC, Australia
  3. Department of Cancer Experiences Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Aims

This study sought to explore:

  1. the nature and extent of parking provision at cancer treatment centres in Victoria;

  2. the availability of concessions;

  3. factors impacting affordable parking; and

  4. information provided about car parking.

Methods

Staff from all Victorian cancer treatment centres (n=53) were invited to participate in a structured telephone questionnaire consisting of fixed and open-ended questions regarding parking provisions at and around their centre. 

Results

The response rate was 100%. Parking was reported as a known patient problem by 85% of staff surveyed.  Most frequently reported issues were cost (55%), insufficient spaces (43%) and time-limited parking (39%).  Ninety-one percent of centres provided onsite parking; however availability varied greatly depending on time of day. Of these, 77% charged a fee and 25% did not offer any subsidies or discounts to cancer patients.  The average daily maximum to park was $19.88 (range: $3.00 - $50.00).

No specific professional group had responsibility for informing patients about parking at 66% of treatment centres.  Only 17% of centre staff reported informing patients about parking before treatment commenced. Of the 26 centres offering free or subsidised parking (subject to availability), 31% relied on patients finding this information themselves through word of mouth, posters, signs or websites.

Some clinicians reported reducing time given to clinical care to alleviate parking pressure for patients.

Conclusions

Inconvenience and cost of parking are unwanted by patients and often uncertain and unexpected.

Establishment of a car parking strategy is advocated for each treatment centre that includes the following elements:

  1. a specific person or role with assigned responsibility for informing patients about parking

  2. information about parking routinely provided before first visit

  3. information regarding likely availability of on-site car parking and alternative options

  4. establishment and promotion of clear, consistent eligibility criteria for concessions/free parking

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