Strong for Oesophagogastric Cancer Surgery (SOCS)
Strong for Oesophagogastric Cancer Surgery (SOCS) Project: A personalised multidisciplinary enhanced prehabilitation program for patients undergoing oesophagectomy and gastrectomy
With support from a NEMICS service improvement grant, Austin Health and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre implemented a personalised, multi-faceted, pre-surgical, and non-pharmacological prehabilitation program named Strong for Oesophagogastric Cancer Surgery (SOCS), in collaboration with 11 medical, allied health and research teams.
Impact
The model has been shown to reduce post-operative respiratory and cardiac complications, reduce severity of surgical complications, reduce duration of intubation post-surgery, reduce length of hospital admission post operatively, reduce readmission rates post discharge, and increase rates of starting adjuvant chemotherapy in the 21 initial patients.
It has also led to improved patient experience and outcomes following oesophagogastric cancer surgery within the NEMICS network.
Outcome
Due to the success of the project Austin Health has now funded the program as standard of care. The new funding supports a multidisciplinary program of clinical nurse consultant (CNC), anaesthetist, surgeon, dietitian, exercise oncologist, clinical psychologist and administration support to standardise and improve care for patients with oesophagogastric cancer who undergo surgery.
Contact
Dr David Liu, david.liu2@austin.org.au
