What's On News July 2017 Mater Cancer Care Centre Coordinator provides guidance and support

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Mater Cancer Care Centre Coordinator provides guidance and support

Tuesday 18 July 2017

Mater Cancer Care Centre (MCCC) now has a Cancer Care Coordinator working full-time to help private patients navigate their way through the healthcare system and to support them through their treatment across the organisation.

Claire Kelly has more than 20 years’ experience in oncology and palliative care nursing and has worked as the MCCC Coordinator since 2015 in a part-time capacity but has recently taken on the role full-time.

“Being full-time now, I love that I’m able to give my contact card to a patient and say to them ‘call me if you have any concerns or if you’re having a bad day’ and I can be that conduit to their oncologist, or other services to get them the help and support they might need,” Claire said.

“Most people struggle to understand the complexity of healthcare and this confusion and uncertainty is compounded by a cancer diagnosis. Many of our patients go through multiple areas of treatment—surgery, radiation and chemotherapy—and the thing most people complain about is lack of communication and coordination, so if I can help untangle that complexity and provide a guiding hand along the way, then I feel like I’ve made a difference.”

With the aim of seeing all private patients at the beginning of their chemotherapy treatment, Claire takes the time to understand each patient and their circumstances so she can provide individualised, patient-centred, holistic care.

Claire explores the individual holistic needs of a person at the start of treatment at MCCC to inform a comprehensive care plan whilst they are receiving care from the Cancer Care Services team. Alternatively she may be requested to see an inpatient who has complex care needs that require coordination.

“I liaise a lot with the VMOs, community services and work extremely closely with the allied health team and pastoral care to refer patients to the services that can best support them, at the right time and, where possible, before potential problems arise.”

A complexity risk assessment tool for cancer patients helps to identify which patients are prioritised for the Care Coordinator and Claire maintains close contact with the most complex patients at each visit to Mater and while at home, as required.

Case conferences are held each week with the nursing and allied health team to ensure a close eye is kept on the most complex patients and Claire particularly focuses on this patient group across outpatient and inpatient services.

“Being full-time enables us to provide continuity of care across the service, which has been shown to reduce distress.  I now have the opportunity to be able to pop over and see a patient if I know they’ve been admitted to Mater Private Hospital Brisbane and be a familiar face to them at a time of increased stress.”

“Patients don’t necessarily want a full-on emotional chat every time they come in, but just to know you’re here, to provide that continuity, to build a rapport, to build trust means that the patient then has the ability to share things with you that perhaps they wouldn’t share ordinarily – that in turn enables the team to give optimal patient centred care.”

“I essentially assess each patient on any given day and also explore with them their main concerns, then alongside providing optimal nursing care I incorporate their main concerns into the planning and these matters inform my agenda.  

“Often of course it can be a significant clinical concern that I am dealing with but equally it can be a small personal matter that becomes the focus of care. I find that this individualised approach to care can have a significant impact on the experience for the patient and family, and it demonstrates to them that we really do care about them as a person, and not just as a patient.”

To refer a patient to Mater Cancer Care Centre, please refer directly to one of our affiliated specialists.