Establishing a Molecular Care Pathway

While molecular profiling is routinely incorporated into patient management, at present this occurs across multiple platforms (both internal and external to the health service) and reports are distributed in a variety of ways (including direct email to clinicians, reporting of locally sequenced gene panels on pathology platform, and storage of external reports into scanned medical records). There is no dedicated point of access to these reports, and no formal system to identify results requiring access to molecular tumour boards (MTBs) or familial cancer clinics (FCCs), leading to inefficiencies and potential inequities in local precision oncology care.

The aim is to establish and benchmark the gaps in the current molecular oncology practice at Peninsula Health; to implement a single and consistent point of storage of molecular reporting in the electronic health record; and to implement a clear care pathway to formalise referral to molecular tumour boards (MTBs) and familial cancer clinics (FCCs).

This will allow for improved patient access to targeted therapies (and ultimately improved patient outcomes) via access schemes or clinical trials at Peninsula Health and across partner networks.

Project outcome

This project significantly advanced precision cancer care for communities in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. Through the creation of a centralised system for storing and accessing molecular pathology results, and by establishing a formalised care pathway, the project addressed gaps in coordination and equity. The introduction of a Molecular Oncology Care Coordinator (MOCC) provided much-needed patient support, streamlined referral pathways with key molecular oncology providers, and ensured vulnerable patients were actively guided through complex diagnostic and care processes.

Overall, the project demonstrated a 100% increase in the proportion of molecular reports viewable in the local Digital Medical Record (DMR) , a 66% increase in patients referred for molecular testing via the Cancer Screening Program (rising from 67 to 111), a 73% increase in documented MTB discussions (from 60 to 104), and a 170% increase in Familial Cancer Centre referrals (from 10 to 27), in this way collectively strengthening precision oncology coordination, data quality, and patient support across the region.