Overview
One of the key elements of CanNET is the focus on improving access to multidisciplinary care for all people diagnosed with cancer. This will ensure better care and support for people affected by cancer through an integrated team approach to cancer care.
This happens when medical, nursing and allied health professionals consider all treatment options, including all of the potential benefits and disadvantages of treatment decisions, as well as personal preferences of the person affected by cancer, and collaboratively develop a care pathway that best meets the individual needs of each person.
Rural health care providers will be able to more effectively participate in multidisciplinary care planning due to greater linkages with major cancer services and use of telehealth technology. Linking health care providers in different areas and across states and territories will also facilitate multidisciplinary care planning for people with less common cancers.
A Managed Clinical Networks literature review was undertaken to support the CanNET program. It provides an overview of the theoretical/conceptual and empirical literature underpinning multidisciplinary care and multidisciplinary teams.
Multidisciplinary care (which includes managed clinical networks, care coordination, referral/care pathways and waiting time benchmarks) is a key element of cancer service network development. The following resources can be used to guide this work.