Delegate Designed Symposium Summary Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2024

ReViTALISE - Addressing disparities in cancer outcomes in regional Victoria through regionally-led telehealth-enabled health services research (#133)

Donna Long 1 , Ian Collins 2 3 , Samuel Harris 4 , Javier Torres 5 , Wasek Faisal 6 , Vanessa Wong 6 7 , David Campbell 3 8 , Kurt Lankovic 9 , Tricia Wright 10 , Krishna Rachakonda 11 , Peter Gibbs 7 12 13 , Meinir Krishnasamy 12 14 , Jennifer Philip 15 16 , Oliver Klein 2 17 , Irene Blackberry 18 , Christopher Steer 1 10 19 , Craig Underhill 1 18 19 , Tennille Lewin 14 , Jhodie Duncan 10 , Monica Green 20 , Miriam Ferres 21 , Kathleen Wilkins 22
  1. Border Medical Oncology, Border Medical Oncology Research Unit, Albury, NSW, Australia
  2. Southwest Healthcare , Warrnambool, Vic, Australia
  3. Deakin University, Geelong, Vic, Australia
  4. Bendigo Health, Bendigo, Vic, Australia
  5. Goulburn Valley Health, Shepparton, Vic, Australia
  6. Grampians Health, Ballarat, Vic, Australia
  7. Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, Vic, Australia
  8. Barwon Health, Geelong, Vic
  9. Cancer Trials Australia, Parkville, Vic, Australia
  10. Latrobe Regional Hopsital, Traralgon, Vic, Australia
  11. Mildura Base Public Hospital, Mildura, Vic, Australia
  12. The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
  13. Western Hospital, Footscray, Vic, Australia
  14. Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, Vic, Australia
  15. St Vincents Hospital, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
  16. The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
  17. Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Vic, Australia
  18. Latrobe University, Wodonga, Vic, Australia
  19. UNSW School of Clinical Medicine, Rural Clinical Campus, Albury, NSW, Australia
  20. Regional Trials Network, Albury-Wodonga, Vic, Australia
  21. Barwon Health, Geelong, Vic, Australia
  22. Regional Trials Network Victoria, Albury-Wodonga, Australia

ReViTALISE aims to address regional inequities of access and improve cancer outcomes, utilising telehealth to enable health services research across a regional network.

Funded by the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Rural, Regional and Remote Clinical Trial Infrastructure Fund and awarded to the Regional Trials Network - Victoria (RTN-Vic). The RTN-Vic created a project that involves seven interconnected Initiatives in areas of unmet need for regional populations, partnering with Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, University of Melbourne, La Trobe University Wodonga, and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

ReViTALISE key activities:

-Establishing new and expand existing RTN-Vic sites: enabling clinical trials at Mildura Public Hospital for the first time and a major expansion of capacity and capability at Latrobe Regional Hospital, in partnership with TrailHub Alfred

-Expanding trial portfolios: registry, immunotherapy, rare cancers, palliative and supportive care, and Older Australians with cancer  trials.

-Improving access to clinical trials for First Nations People. 

-Improving research literacy in the regional workforce with the establishment of a Regional Research Teaching Hub 

-Building and consolidating networks of research active clinicians across regional centres.

-Establishing an advisory committee of regional people with lived experience of cancer (Every VoiceCAN)

 

The ReViTALISE project recently conducted a mid project review (self audit) to inform progress to date and identify opportunities for the remaining 2 years of the program.

 

The aim of this symposium is to share key learnings from this ambitious and impactful program that may prove to be a watershed moment in the development of cancer services in regional Australia.

Speakers will outline the key learnings from each program and enablers of success to date.  

Conclusion: This is an innovative project addressing important areas of unmet need in regional populations with cancer, developed and led by the regions that can inform future service delivery in regional Australia.