English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Zendy Plus

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Zendy Tools

Zendy Open

Palliative radiotherapy is effective in reducing symptom burden and improving quality of life in patients with symptomatic metastatic cancer and should be delivered in a timely manner. The aim of this study was to determine whether referring patients directly to a Palliative Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist ( APRT ) improves access to palliative radiotherapy and reduces time from referral to treatment.    Methods  At Radiation Oncology Mater Center ( ROMC ) in Brisbane, Australia a new referral pathway was developed which involved patients requiring palliative radiotherapy, being referred directly to the  APRT  from a single external hospital medical oncology and palliative care departments. Over a 5 months period, patient demographics and time in working days from referral to treatment were compared for consecutive palliative patients seen within our department. Patients were stratified by method of referral i.e. via the new referral pathway ( NP ) or via standard referral pathway ( SP ).    Results  Between October 2014 and March 2015, a total of 150 patients were referred for palliative radiotherapy. Of these patients, 48 were referred and processed via the NP. There was a significant reduction in the number of days from referral to treatment for patients referred through the  NP . Patients referred through the  NP  via the  APRT  had a mean and median wait time of 3.5 and 3 days respectively compared with 8.1 and 5 days for patients referred through the  SP  ( P  = <0.001). Patients were also more likely to have the treatment completed with less visits to the hospital ( P  < 0.001).    Conclusions  The new referral pathway utilising a dedicated palliative  APRT  decreased waiting times for patients receiving palliative radiotherapy and improved timely access to the radiotherapy service for both referrers and patients.

Reducing radiotherapy waiting times for palliative patients: The role of the Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist