2023-24 Annual report
Redesigning ways to deliver care
Transforming health care for people in Canada requires a national focus on models of care – that is, approaches to caring for patients. By fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange across provinces and territories, we can unlock a future of efficient, high-quality, patient-centred care that promotes equity, addresses regional needs and leverages best practices.
Spreading and scaling promising models
In 2023–24, CPAC supported 19 projects in 10 provinces and territories as part of the multi-year Models of Care initiative launched in 2022 – a $13.6 million allocation to develop new models of care. The investment aims to improve the coordination of cancer care, better serve the needs of equity-denied populations, help care providers work better together to expand access to specialized services, and optimize scopes of practice – which means making the most of cancer teams’ skills and expertise.
Two promising projects led by partners in the Northwest Territories are using innovative virtual health technologies to create more timely access to care for people in rural and remote areas. One is delivering group-based pre-endoscopy education to patients awaiting follow up for a positive FIT (fecal immunochemical test) and potential suspicion of cancer. This digital-first approach ensures patients receive information to support timely diagnosis, while remaining close to home. The other is providing dedicated virtual specialized oncology services for patients in treatment. The nurse-led model focuses on complex care coordination, consistent access to a specialized oncology nurse, and ensuring better continuity of care for patients across the large territory to stay in their remote communities.
Funding from the Models of Care initiative has allowed us to pilot and build business cases for sustaining new care models that allow nurses to work to their full scope of practice, free up time for other healthcare providers to take on more patient care and provide many First Nations, Inuit and Métis patients with better access to consistent, coordinated cancer care closer to home.
—Andrea Donovan, Director Outpatient, Specialty and Support Services, Government of Northwest Territories
—Catherine Dixon, Territorial Manager, Cancer Care, Government of Northwest Territories
CPAC continued to update the Models of Care toolkit, which shares examples of innovative care models and best practices that address provincial and territorial needs. This year, we added new resources, tools and models on how to empower pharmacists to contribute more significantly to patient care, including examples in precision medicine, advanced education and resource allocation.
We also included an evidence review on the challenges patients without a primary care provider may face when they transition out of the cancer system.
Filling a resource gap for post-treatment care
Two-thirds of those living with cancer report difficulties after treatment, particularly during the first year. After extensively surveying individuals from across Canada who have received treatment, CPAC made key investments to address the needs of people moving from cancer treatment to follow-up care and support services. These initiatives resulted in a wealth of valuable knowledge products, tools and resources for post-treatment care that advance the Strategy’s focus on providing comprehensive information and support throughout the cancer journey.
CPAC recently launched a new hub to highlight how partners across Canada are addressing patients’ needs after cancer treatment. This hub presents CPAC-funded resources related to cancer survivorship, making these valuable materials readily available to healthcare organizations and providers. The resource hub will allow for wider adoption and adaptation of these resources by partners working within the cancer care system.
Preserving fertility during cancer treatment
- 8,000
- young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Canada
Roughly 8,000 young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Canada. CPAC is working with partners in nine provinces and territories to spread and scale the Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) with Cancer Oncofertility Initiative, which helps people aged 15 to 39 access information and services for preserving their fertility during cancer treatment. The initiative was originally piloted in Ontario and Alberta with aims to:
- Develop educational materials for patients and healthcare providers about oncofertility
- Help jurisdictions embed a question about fertility concerns in the patient-reported outcomes tools that cancer programs use to gather information about a patient’s symptoms and concerns
- Implement equitable, timely and sustainable fertility referrals that provide young patients with information about how to preserve their fertility during cancer treatment
This year, CPAC supported British Columbia, with services offered to patients from Yukon, Manitoba and all Atlantic provinces to spread and scale oncofertility initiatives. Each project is focused on meeting the needs of equity-denied populations, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.