Regionally Integrated Systems Enhancement for Skin Cancer
La Trobe University
The Challenge
Health system expenditure for the diagnosis, treatment and pathology of skin cancers is the highest reported cancer-related expenditure in the Australian health system. For rural Australians, skin cancer rates are 29% higher, health outcomes are worse (31% higher mortality) and there are more delays in diagnosis than for people living in metropolitan areas.
This unacceptable inequity in skin cancer mortality, morbidity, and cost for rural communities calls for a new care model that builds primary care capacity and improves access to care in a financially viable, cost-effective manner, narrowing the gap between rural and metropolitan Australians.
The Partnership
The RISE4SkinCancer consortium led by La Trobe University, is a multidisciplinary, collaborative regional consortium in the Loddon Mallee region in Victoria. It comprises of consumers, cancer services, primary care, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, Primary Health Network, Department of Health, General Practitioners, community health and researchers.
The Solution
RISE4SkinCancer is implementing and evaluating a series of consumer co-design initiatives and system-level reform strategies, which include embedding technological solutions to support timely assessment and management of skin cancers. Cisco Research Chair of AI and IoT Professor Wei Xiang is leading the technological solutions, which will explore the integration of AI into the locally derived clinical pathways.
Recognition & Impact
Project Highlights
- 5-year program granted $2.8 million in Australian Government funding through the medical Research Future Fund.
- RISE4SkinCancer is an opportunity to combine clinical, consumer and research expertise across all stages of the health system, including community ownership, to improve quality of life and reduce morbidity and mortality for rural people with skin cancer.
- The Loddon Mallee region has the highest percentage in Victoria of low-income families and First Nations people, the melanoma rate is 48% above the state average. This program will narrow that gap and set an example for scaling up in other regions.
- Publications describing how this approach can be used for other health issues in similar settings will underpin evidence-informed rural health policy and funding models.
Contact Person & Details
- Prof Wei Xiang, Distinguished Professor, NIIN Research Chair in AI and IoT, School of Computing, Engineering & Mathematical Sciences, La Trobe University – w.xiang@latrobe.edu.au
- Jeff Jones, Director, Innovation Central Melbourne jeffrey.jones@latrobe.edu.au