Poor communication between hospitals, specialists and primary health care clinics is undermining cancer care for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, according to a new study by researchers at The University of Western Australia.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death for Aboriginal people in the NT, and primary health care clinics play a vital role in screening, diagnosis and ongoing cancer care, particularly in remote communities.
The research, published in the international journal Cancers, was led by staff from the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health at UWA, in collaboration with clinicians in the NT.
The study explored the experiences of 50 health professionals from 15 health services across the NT, including remote clinics, hospitals, and cancer support services.
Participants reported that fragmented information systems and delayed communication between services made it harder to provide timely and coordinated care for Aboriginal people with cancer.
Lead author Emma Taylor, from UWA's School of Health and Clinical Sciences and WACRH, said primary health care services were the first point of contact for many Aboriginal people living in remote communities.
“When critical test results or discharge information don’t make it back to the clinic in a timely manner, cancer patients can miss out on essential follow-up care,” Ms Taylor said.
Key barriers identified included fragmented IT systems, delays in communication and workforce challenges.
Despite these challenges, the study found that individual staff often went above and beyond to bridge gaps through phone calls and emails.
The researchers are calling for more timely communication and improved healthcare IT systems to enable better information sharing between services. The study recommended including remote clinicians in multidisciplinary cancer care teams and cancer education for primary health care clinic staff.
Telehealth and dedicated roles, such as Cancer Care Coordinators and Aboriginal Liaison Officers, were identified as enablers of better communication.
Co-author Philip Mayo from Menzies School of Health Research, said improving communication between services could make a profound difference to cancer outcomes for Aboriginal people in the NT.
“This is not just about systems, but about people’s lives,” Mr Mayo said.
The study underscores the importance of investing in communication infrastructure and workforce support to improve the communication and coordination of cancer care for Aboriginal people in the NT.
Photo caption: Senior Research Officer Emma Taylor from the WA Centre for Rural Health of The University of Western Australia.