Co-design of a pre-surgical care intervention to support people undergoing prostatectomy for prostate cancer

To co-design a pre-surgical care intervention to support patients treated with a radical prostatectomy.

This work took place in a university hospital providing care to other sites within a large public health service in Australia. Participants included patients who had been treated with a robotic prostatectomy for prostate cancer, and the clinical teams providing care to this population of patients. The multi-methods study involved two study phases: (i) an evaluation of current robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy care using the RE-AIM framework, and, (ii) the co-design of a pre-surgical care intervention with a Steering Committee of experts using Nominal Group Technique. Qualitative findings were analysed using a Framework Method. Quantitative findings were descriptively reported using counts and proportions.

Phase One identified unmet needs relating to treatment toxicities, and potential care inequities due to variation in care delivery. The co-design in Phase Two resulted in the development of a pre-surgical care intervention that featured early patient screening, a defined clinical pathway of care, and defined education priorities.

The development of a co-designed pre-surgical care intervention provides a structured approach to addressing unmet information needs among patients undergoing prostatectomy and informing person-centred models of care. Further work is needed to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and clinical impact.