Integrated Analysis of Quality Use of Pathology Program (qupp) Final Reports

Effective Communication of Pathology Results in Requesting Practitioners and Consumers (Current)

Description

The three organisations involved in this project are undertaking project work towards more effective and consumer-friendly pathology reporting.

Grant Recipients

University of Melbourne; Dianella Community Health;

Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA)

Aims

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  to identify a core set of key visual communication techniques for reporting pathology test results both to requesting practitioners and consumers (including consumers with limited literacy)
  
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  to prepare and test several formats designed to maximise communication with the specified target groups (e.g. treating clinicians, consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, consumers with low literacy levels) to test which formats will best engage health consumers in their own care
  
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  to develop a GP practice pilot to trial the new reporting format under clinical conditions.
  

This project is current and these aims are in the process of being achieved.

Outcomes

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  The draft reporting formats have been developed using eye-tracking experiments and tested with consumer focus groups.
  
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  It is expected there will be opportunities within stage one to carry out some pre-testing of the draft template with general practitioner (GP) focus groups.
  
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  Pathology providers and GPs are now being recruited for the pilot that will form a proposed stage two of this project, although no decision has yet been made to proceed to this stage.
  

Workforce Capacity and Competence

The relative ‘invisibility’ of the pathology workforce has had a number of flow-on effects on its capacity and competence. Pathology is not a ‘high profile’ choice of specialty for medical graduates, while other factors such as an ageing and declining specialist workforce and unclear career pathways for scientists have contributed to what is recognised as a pathology workforce crisis. This situation is not unique to Australia with workforce issues regarded as a threat to the global pathology sector and therefore to the delivery of quality pathology services.

The Quality Use of Pathology Program (QUPP) has enabled the exploration of these issues through six projects (Table 7). Detailed analyses of workforce issues have been identified accompanied by a long list of recommendations to achieve a sustainable pathology workforce for the future. Areas for future consideration may include:

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  Investigate better data capturing methods for the assessing pathology workforce.
  
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  Devise strategies to increase the profile of pathology.
  
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  Continue to address pathology workforce issues.
  
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  Continue to monitor the workload for pathologists.
  
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  Investigate strategies to promote pathology as an appealing career choice.
  
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  Investigate strategies to provide increased access to pathology to people in rural and regional areas.
  
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  Investigate avenues to promote and utilise the Pathology Associations Council’s set of competency standards using the eight pathways identified in the report Career Structures and Pathways for the Scientific Workforce in Medical Pathology Laboratories on page 146.
  

It is also important to note that since the Pathology Funding Agreement was implemented on 1 July 2011, much of the work addressing workforce issues has been taken over by the Workforce Advisory Committee (WAC) which is comprised of representatives from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA), National Coalition of Public Pathology (NCOPP), Australian Association of Pathology Practices (AAPP), Catholic Health Australia, Health Workforce Australia (HWA), Pathology Associations Council (PAC) and the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.

	Project Name	Grant Recipient/s	Page No.
1	PathWay (2005)	Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA)	128
2	The Australian Pathology Workforce Crisis (2008)	Michael Legg and Associates	129
3	Review of Pathology Specialist Development Pathways (2010)	RCPA	135
4	Impact of Workload of Anatomical Pathologists on Quality and Safety (2011)	RCPA	139
5	Survey of the Pathology Workforce (2011)	URBIS	142
6	Career Structures and Pathways for the Scientific Workforce in Medical Pathology Laboratories (2011)	Human Capital Alliance (HCA)	146

Table 7: Reports summarised for Workforce Capacity and Competence

PathWay (2005)

Description

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) identified a need to strengthen the position of the pathology profession in both the medical and general communities and consequently developed a strategy called “PathWay”. This included a quarterly lifestyle format print magazine, Internet site, print/electronic material and media placement aimed at enhancing the pathology profession’s standing, perceived relevance and credibility. PathWay also integrated a range of RCPA information products and communication initiatives, such as the RCPA Manual, Common Sense Pathology series and workforce initiatives, into a sustained and cohesive campaign. The RCPA requested and was granted seed money from the Quality Use of Pathology Program (QUPP) to assist in funding stage 1 of this project.

Grant Recipient

RCPA
Aim

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  enhance the pathology profession’s standing, perceived relevance and credibility.
  

Objectives

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  to promote pathology as a vocational choice among near/recent medical graduates
  
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  to promote evidence-based pathology ordering by medical practitioners (general practitioners [GPs] and recent graduates)
  
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  to promote joint decision making with consumers in pathology ordering
  
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  to promote appropriate pathology ordering habits among near/recent medical graduates
  
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  to develop a campaign that can be sustained without government funds.
  

This aim and many of the objectives appeared to have been achieved although they were difficult to measure.
Outcomes

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  Stage 1, 2004 – an integrated 12 month campaign which focused on the production of a quarterly lifestyle magazine (PathWay), Internet site, print/electronic material and media placement. PathWay integrated a range of current RCPA information products and communication initiatives, such as the RCPA Manual, Common Sense Pathology series and workforce initiatives, into a sustained and cohesive campaign.
  
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  Stage 2, 2005 – develop targets based on the objectives and achievements of Stage 1.
  
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  Stage 2, 2006 onwards – assess the achievements and ongoing viability of the campaign.
  
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  PathWay was distributed to all medical students in Australia and New Zealand, and provided to junior medical staff in hospitals in Australia.
  
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  There was positive feedback from medical students in Australia and New Zealand, and from junior medical staff in hospitals in Australia, about the value of the magazine in raising awareness of pathology as a career choice. This issue was discussed at the RCPA’s Trainee Advisory Committee, who reported a considerable number of junior medical staff approaching them about a career in pathology following new editions of PathWay.
  
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  Medical students and recent graduates also provided positive feedback in relation to the content of the articles, particularly educating them about how a pathologist can be used in advising on appropriate usage of pathology testing and the interpretation of results.
  
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  An evaluation form sent out with the third edition of PathWay provided positive feedback and support for the usefulness of the magazine in educating GPs and recent graduates on appropriate pathology ordering.
  
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  The PathWay magazines were available in pathology collection centres and doctors’ rooms. The RCPA also sold a valuable number of subscriptions.
  
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  The articles in PathWay were also available on the PathWay website.
  

Finding

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  The PathWay project was deemed successful, with PathWay magazine a particularly useful tool for promoting pathology and pathologists to the medical and general community.
  

Recommendation

1. 
   Publish PathWay on an ongoing basis.
   

Key Project Learning

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  The sale of advertising space in PathWay was difficult, although the RCPA had sold sufficient at the time of their report for continued production.
  

Follow on Initiatives and Projects

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  The RCPA initiated an online version of PathWay, titled ePathWay, in 2011.