Embedding rehabilitation into cancer care continuum: an implementation study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Healthcare Service Delivery

Background:

• Cancer patients often experience functional decline (morbidity).
• Integrating rehabilitation services into cancer care is crucial for managing this decline.
• Tertiary cancer hospitals require structured models for effective rehabilitation integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a rehabilitation-inclusive service delivery model at a tertiary cancer hospital.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the "Rehab-Toolkit" in inpatient cancer settings.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for integrating subacute care into oncology services.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the "Rehab-Toolkit", a structured assessment tool with validated functional measures.
• Applied the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework for analysis.
• Enrolled consecutive inpatients within a tertiary cancer hospital's inpatient service.

Main Results:

• The Rehab-Toolkit was successfully integrated into routine inpatient cancer care.
• Pre-implementation barriers included lack of standardized assessments and poor interdisciplinary coordination.
• Post-intervention, awareness of rehabilitation services and referral pathways significantly increased.

Conclusions:

• Integrating rehabilitation services into cancer care is feasible and effective for managing functional morbidity.
• Proactive management of functional decline through rehabilitation is achievable.
• Further process evaluation and long-term follow-up are recommended for sustained success.