title: Teleoncology for indigenous patients: the responses of patients and health workers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Townsville Cancer Centre provides video-consultation (VC) services to patients in rural/remote regions of North Queensland in order to improve access to specialist cancer care. The experience and responses of indigenous patients using this service have not been studied. Our objective is to assess the level of satisfaction and the responses of Indigenous patients, their families and health workers (HWs) to VC and such teleoncology service.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study, using semistructured interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral centre (Townsville Cancer Centre) and various rural and remote towns in Queensland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Satisfaction levels of Indigenous patients, their family members and Indigenous HWs with various aspects of the teleoncology service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our evaluation suggests that teleoncology is an acceptable model of care for Indigenous patients, with high levels of satisfaction expressed from patients, families and HWs. Health professionals involved with providing this service need to be adaptive to the needs of individual patients and local communities in order to provide culturally appropriate care. Formal skills training for staff, effective communication between specialist and local HWs, and informed consent procedures are essential to maintain safety of practices. Strategies for change are: • Mandatory informed consent procedure for all patients offered with VC. • Formalised competency training for staff in skills essential to maintain safe practices in teleoncology. • Clear clinical documentation to facilitate improved communication in patient management between medical staff at main centre and distant sites. • Further efforts in promotion, education and support for staff to participate in telemedicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Townsville Cancer Centre, Townsville Hospital, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Mooi
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Whop
authors.forename: Patricia C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Valery
authors.forename: Sabe S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sabesan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011793:Queensland; D017216:Telemedicine