Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Child Cancer It Tool Receives National Award
Child Cancer It Tool Receives National Award
LEAP-IT,
a national online clinical tool designed to co-ordinate the
long term assessment of young cancer survivors, has won a
national award for IT excellence.
The national Paediatric Oncology Steering Group (POSG), led by Canterbury District Health Board Paediatric Oncologist Dr Michael Sullivan, developed the tool which won the Excellence in the Use of ICT in Health category at the 2007 Computerworld Excellence Awards in Auckland on Friday (27 July). The Late Effects Assessment Programme Information Technology tool took three years to develop and was implemented last December.
It is the second consecutive year a team led by Dr Sullivan has won the category. Last year, the award was won by the NZ TelePaediatrics Service and Canterbury DHB for the development of a videoconference-based palliative care solution for families, called H2H (Hospital-to-Home).
The LEAP-IT project was set up to support the development of the National Late Effects Assessment Programme, a clinical initiative designed to assess whether young cancer survivors have suffered any long term physical or psychological effects from their treatment. All clinical data is entered into a secure online tool, which is hosted on a dedicated server.
The aim is to ensure that all survivors are monitored regardless of where they live. Child cancer patients are only treated in Christchurch, Auckland or Wellington. Eventually all young cancer survivors will be given a personalised “health passport”, which will be a summary of all the treatment they have undergone over the years and can be carried into adulthood.
The online
clinical tool was also designed to incorporate a National
Children’s Cancer Registry. Later this year, the POSG
team will be able to analyse the previous seven years of
data, which will provide a detailed snapshot of all
childhood cancer in New Zealand.
Dr Michael Sullivan says he and the rest of the team were delighted to receive the award, which recognised years of teamwork by clinicians across the country. “It has involved doctors, nursing specialists and psychologists from around the country. It genuinely has been a team effort, which has allowed us to achieve an extremely useful tool,” he says.
He says the tool could eventually be adapted to collect clinical information about adult cancer survivors.
ENDS
Canterbury DHB
CDHB
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) is a Christchurch, New Zealand based hospital and healthcare provider for the
Canterbury region of New Zealand. Our region extends from Kekerengu in the North, to Rangitata in the South and Arthurs Pass in the West and comprises the six Territorial Local Authorities of Kaikoura, Hurunui, Waimakariri, Christchurch City, Selwyn and Ashburton.
We collaborate with other health and disability organisations, stakeholders and our community to decide what health and disability services are needed and how to best use the funding we receive from Government to improve, promote and protect the health, wellbeing and independence of our population.
At the Canterbury DHB, our vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Canterbury.
Whanganui Regional Museum: Historic Wedding Dress Unveiled, A Piece Of Marton’s Heritage
Donovan Ryan: Local Runner Takes Out Frontrunner Christchurch Marathon
University of Auckland: Tributes Flow For Much Loved Pacific Leader Melegalenu’u Ah Sam
NZEI: Ministry Of Education Cuts Will Disproportionately Affect Pasifika
Day One Hapai te Haeata: Call To Action For Young Filmmakers Against The Backdrop Of Funding Cuts
Toyota New Zealand: Three Races For Top Three To Decide TR86 Title