Collaborating with the Community: Improving Patient Access to Palliative Radiation Therapy

Palliative radiation therapy (PRT) has an essential role in cancer symptom control but is underutilized in Ontario. This initiative aimed to implement an educational outreach intervention to improve knowledge of and access to PRT among interprofessional palliative health care teams across an Ontario Local Health Integration Network.

A needs assessment was completed from June to September 2018 with interprofessional palliative health care teams. Participants completed a survey to identify perceived opportunities, barriers, and enablers to recommending or referring patients for PRT. Thematic analysis informed content of the educational outreach intervention and included how to access PRT, common indications, case studies, and side-effect management after completing PRT. The educational outreach intervention was completed from October 2018 to January 2019. Participants completed a survey, and results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The number of patients who received PRT was determined by cross-referencing the regional database with the radiation oncology information system.

Although 22.9% of participants had previously recommended or referred patients, 96.2% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they are likely to recommend or refer patients for PRT after the educational outreach intervention (n = 131). An increase was observed in the number of patients receiving PRT from the community during the intervention period.

The educational outreach intervention improved knowledge and the likelihood of interprofessional palliative health care teams providing access to PRT for patients in the community. More patients now receive PRT, conveying improved symptom control and quality of life.