CN16 - The Mount Vernon Cancer Center non medical prescriber GI oncology clinic experience

Background

The majority of healthcare services modified the way they operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the areas that was greatly impacted was the Oncology services worldwide. In our department we increased the telephone consultations of the patients who were actively receiving treatment and the non-medical prescribers undertook a more active role in the on-treatment clinics.

Methods

Retrospective review of the GI clinic lists of all patients receiving systemic anti-cancer treatment (SACT) in 2022. Data was collected on gender, primary site of disease, treatment intent, cycle number, type of SACT.

Results

Three thousand four hundred and forty nine appointments (apts) were scheduled in the GI on-treat clinic in 2022. These were pooled from 3 Consultant lists and 1 pharmacy list. Patients were reviewed by 5 medical prescribers and 3 non medical prescribers (NMPs): there are 2 band 7 nurses and 1 band 7 pharmacist. Of the 3415 apts that took place (34 did not attend) the NMPs performed 792(23%) telephone consultations: 65% were male, 74% of patients received combination treatments, 20% single agent, 6% were given scan results. 15% of the patients were assessed for cycle 1 treatments. 70% were receiving chemotherapy, 7% biological target treatments, 9% immunotherapy, 3% chemotherapy – immunotherapy combinations, 3% chemotherapy- radiotherapy combinations and 2% chemotherapy – biological target combinations. The intent was palliative in 55% of the cases, 10% radical, 10% neo-adjuvant and 25% adjuvant. The primary diagnosis was 60% colorectal cancer, 25% gastroesophageal, 10% pancreatic and 5% GIST and cholangiocarcinoma.

Conclusions

Very experienced NMPs are vital members of the clinical team and can safely perform assessments of patients on a variety of treatments in a wide range of clinical settings. Their input in the telephone clinics has transformed the patient experience providing holistic care maximising their role as key workers in patients' journey. It also increased their to job satisfaction and promoted staff retention. More NMPs should be encouraged to undertake the NMP assessment course and set up their own clinics or work alongside with the medical staff in their respective clinics.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

V. Michalarea.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.