Aims
Canrefer, the online cancer services directory linking people to multidisciplinary teams for NSW, was launched in 2012 with the aid of CanNET, a federally funded program. Canrefer has recently undergone an enhancement to improve its usability and further develop and update the information contained in the directory. The enhancement project has positioned Canrefer as a tool to promote best practice in multidisciplinary cancer care by:
• Listing only specialists who are a member of a multidisciplinary team;
• Providing GPs with a directory of cancer specialists who are verified members of multidisciplinary teams to support referrals to these specialists;
• Promote high volume hospitals for rare cancer surgery such as oesophagectomies and pancreatectomies;
• Mapping the cancer health system across NSW through listing cancer services, specialists and multidisciplinary teams; and
• Encouraging patient choice through listing cancer services and specialists involved in best practice multidisciplinary cancer care.
Method
The Cancer Institute NSW commenced the collection and verification of data for all hospitals, cancer centres, services and multidisciplinary team membership across NSW in January 2015. Decisions were made to improve the tone of the website to be more consumer-friendly, develop new page types, including tumour information pages, and an administration panel to allow cancer services and specialists to easily update their own details.
Results
The Canrefer project team at the Cancer Institute NSW has engaged the cancer system in NSW through collecting information and verifying multidisciplinary team meeting membership. Through listing specialists who are verified members of multidisciplinary teams, Canrefer is promoting the key message that best practice cancer care is having your care overseen by a specialist who participates in multidisciplinary team meetings. There are currently 205 multidisciplinary team meetings listed in Canrefer across NSW and its border areas.
Conclusions
The Canrefer enhancement project has led to an improved cancer service directory for New South Wales. Canrefer provides a trusted and reliable resource for both consumers and health professionals that promotes best practice multidisciplinary cancer care.