Janet Papadakos1, Eleni Giannopoulos2, Leta Forbes3, Colleen Fox4, Priyanka Jain5, Sarah McBain6, Nicole Mittman7, Lesley Moody8, Diana Samoil9, Robin McLeod10. 1. Patient Education Program, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), 525 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2L3, Canada; Cancer Health Literacy Research Center, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2N2, Canada; University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A1, Canada. Electronic address: janet.papadakos@uhnresearch.ca. 2. Cancer Health Literacy Research Center, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2N2, Canada. Electronic address: eleni.giannopoulos@uhnresearch.ca. 3. Systemic Treatment Program, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), 525 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2L3, Canada. Electronic address: leta.forbes@ontariohealth.ca. 4. Patient Education Program, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), 525 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2L3, Canada. Electronic address: colleen.fox@cancercarre.on.ca. 5. Patient Education Program, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), 525 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2L3, Canada. 6. Patient Education Program, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), 525 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2L3, Canada. Electronic address: sarah.mcbain@cancercare.on.ca. 7. Sunnybrook Research Institute, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4N 3M5, Canada. Electronic address: nicole.mittman@cadth.ca. 8. Cancer Health Literacy Research Center, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2N2, Canada; University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A1, Canada. Electronic address: lesley.moody2@uhn.ca. 9. Cancer Health Literacy Research Center, Cancer Education, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, 585 University Avenue, ELLICSR PMB B-130, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2N2, Canada. Electronic address: diana.samoil@uhnresearch.ca. 10. Clinical Programs & Quality Initiatives, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario), 525 University Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2L3, Canada. Electronic address: robin.mcleod@cancercare.on.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The development of patient education (PE) materials is costly and resource-intensive, and no mechanisms exist for sharing materials across cancer centers/hospitals to limit duplicated effort. The aim of this study was to explore the incidence and cost implication of duplicated PE efforts. METHODS: PE leaders from all (14) cancer centers in Ontario, Canada, submitted their collections of systemic therapy PE materials. Materials were categorized by topic and were coded as duplicate (more than one other material exists on the same topic and there was significant content and/or textual overlap), adapted (material was adapted from an existing material) or unique (no other material addresses the topic). RESULTS: 304 materials were included and <50 % of materials had duplicate content (n = 166, 55 %), a small proportion were adapted (n = 27, 9%), and less than half were unique (n = 111, 37 %). The majority of materials were considered amenable to adaptation meaning that the content was not dependent on a specific institutional context (n = 283, 93 %). The opportunity for cost savings if duplication of effort could be avoided is approximately $800 K for systemic therapy materials produced in cancer centers. CONCLUSION: There is need to refine the process for developing PE materials. Creating mechanisms of sharing can help facilitate equal access to materials and can result in significant cost savings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Efforts are needed to better coordinate the development of PE materials among patient educators. Better coordination would allow patient education programs to focus on other important challenges.
OBJECTIVE: The development of patient education (PE) materials is costly and resource-intensive, and no mechanisms exist for sharing materials across cancer centers/hospitals to limit duplicated effort. The aim of this study was to explore the incidence and cost implication of duplicated PE efforts. METHODS: PE leaders from all (14) cancer centers in Ontario, Canada, submitted their collections of systemic therapy PE materials. Materials were categorized by topic and were coded as duplicate (more than one other material exists on the same topic and there was significant content and/or textual overlap), adapted (material was adapted from an existing material) or unique (no other material addresses the topic). RESULTS: 304 materials were included and <50 % of materials had duplicate content (n = 166, 55 %), a small proportion were adapted (n = 27, 9%), and less than half were unique (n = 111, 37 %). The majority of materials were considered amenable to adaptation meaning that the content was not dependent on a specific institutional context (n = 283, 93 %). The opportunity for cost savings if duplication of effort could be avoided is approximately $800 K for systemic therapy materials produced in cancer centers. CONCLUSION: There is need to refine the process for developing PE materials. Creating mechanisms of sharing can help facilitate equal access to materials and can result in significant cost savings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Efforts are needed to better coordinate the development of PE materials among patient educators. Better coordination would allow patient education programs to focus on other important challenges.