Under the Federal Government’s 2009-2010 Health and Hospitals Fund (HFF), Barwon Health (BH) secured funds to establish a Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), with one aim being to provide cancer care to patients as close to home as possible.

This study reports on a joint initiative between BH Cancer and Hospital in the Home (HITH) Program’s, to develop an integrated home-based cancer service for patients that reside both within the local metropolitan catchment of BH and surrounding regional communities, as an alternative care option.

A total of 34 patients participated in a 12-week pilot, with 167 drug deliveries/treatments undertaken during this period.

Treatment was delivered by existing HITH nursing staff, skilled in community service delivery. A structured education and training program provided by Cancer Services was undertaken, which included the completion of all eight eviQ Anti-neoplastic Drug Administration Course Modules and supervised practice and mentorship by nominated Day Chemotherapy Unit staff.

Three quantitative components of the pilot have been measured and analysed; distance and time saved in travel for patients, together with patient satisfaction using a self-reported Consumer Satisfaction Questionnaire.

Hospital versus home-based costs have been previously explored and reported both locally and internationally. A cost versus benefit analysis will determine the feasibility of the continuation of this partnership and define the scope of a future home-based service model.

This is an important initiative providing regional patients, a patient-centered, convenient option of care delivery.  Importantly, it may benefit health services, which are increasingly experiencing dramatic increases in the use, delivery and provision of cytotoxic and other anti-cancer agents within the hospital setting.

In Australia, a number of health services offer this alternative to cancer patients in a limited capacity; however, these are currently only reported in metropolitan health care settings.