Another resource for the patient journey

Way back in 2004 I posted to this site my impressions of surviving an "Ivor Lewis" surgery.

Thanks to another survivor who has been clever enough to find some notes written by a nurse recalling what needed to be done for one 71 year old patient being nursed through the aftermath of this intensive surgery.

Just go to http://www.ciap.health.nsw.gov.au/hospolic/stvincents/1993/a07.html

While the documentation is from 1993 I suspect that the process is still in use and will continue to provide a guide for nursing staff and at the same time provide a considerable help to those who are about to undertake the journey for the first time.

I can recall that my biggest fear (after the fear of death of course) was how I was going to survive the impact of the surgery and what it was going to be like to wake up after the operation with all the tubes and things hanging out of me.

I could not imagine what that must be like and I have to say that I was kept awake at night with all sorts of nightmares about the then unknown.

While I have the view that it is better to confront the unknown and learn as much as possible about it to enable that confrontation to be somewhat useful and directed this may not be the view of others who read this site.

If you are one of those who prefer to just rely on your doctors and the other staff at the hospital where you are going to be treated to know what they are doing and to do it well - then do NOT read the documentation.

If however you are a control freak - like I suspect I am, then it's probably a good idea to read and get to know as much about what it is that is likely to happen to you and what you can look forward to in what people refer to as the "patient journey"

While this is merely the write up of just one person's journey - perhaps by reading it the fear can be reduced and the reality more easily confronted. There is no guarantee that your journey will be the same or indeed similar - each person's situation is after all so very different.

The choice is yours - but do let me know what you think - if you feel like it of course!

Canabis and its impact on YOUR health!

Thought you could avoid Lung Cancer by not smoking tobacco and being 'cool' and rolling a joint instead?

New Zealand researchers are NOT going to make your day! The ABC reports that:

Smoking a joint is equivalent to 20 cigarettes in terms of lung cancer risk, scientists in New Zealand have found, as they warned of an "epidemic" of lung cancers linked to cannabis.

In an article published in the European Respiratory Journal, the scientists say cannabis could be expected to harm the airways more than tobacco as its smoke contained twice the level of carcinogens, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, compared with tobacco cigarettes.

The method of smoking also increases the risk, since joints are typically smoked without a proper filter and almost to the very tip, which increases the amount of smoke inhaled.

The cannabis smoker inhales more deeply and for longer, facilitating the deposition of carcinogens in the airways.

For those of us who live in the ACT, are part of the baby boomer generation and who already have one form of cancer this news is grim. If the research is accurate then we will soon have to compete with many others for the already relatively small number of services available in the community.

Of course this is a very egocentric view of the world.

IPTAS or Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme

I wonder how many people in the ACT are aware of IPTAS?

IPTAS or the Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme provides assistance to permanent residents of the ACT towards travel accommodation expenses incurred when referred interstate for medical treatment that is not available in the ACT.

What you need to do to avoid making any errors is to ASK your referring doctor to get a copy of the form off the web and fill in his or her bit of the form BEFORE you leave the surgery after they have made a referral!

Then take the form WITH you to wherever you have been referred AND make sure you get the doctor there to complete his or her bit of the form AND GIVE IT BACK to you.

Keep all the receipts for travel and accommodation and other expenses you incur in the process of getting medical treatment and then when you are back home, complete YOUR part of the form and send it on WITH the receipts to the contact that is listed below.

While the contact officer only works part time she is wonderfully helpful if you have any difficulties with the process, so if needed contact her!

Do NOT expect your doctor to know about this process or to tell you about it. Yes they do know but they are probably too busy to remember it all so use the old Boy Scout motto and be prepared then you can most effectively help yourself!

Full details of eligibility and allowances are in a form called IPTAS claim form and instructions - July 2007

This is available for downloading from the IPTAS site

IPTAS Guidelines 2007 provide information about the criteria and administrative requirements for the ACT Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme.

In particular, it provides detailed information on:

• The eligibility criteria for ACT IPTAS
  
• The requirement to refer to the nearest treating specialist and the referral process for ACT IPTAS
  
• Situations where approval of an escort under ACT IPTAS may be appropriate, including a list of the reasons where provision of an escort may be appropriate,
  
• Situations where approval of air travel under ACT IPTAS is appropriate, including a list of reasons that may make air travel appropriate and
  
• details of the process for obtaining approval for a patient/escort to travel by air.
  
  IPTAS Guidelnes are available for downloading from the same site as the document above and of course you can contact the IPTAS administrator,

Community Health Intake,
GPO Box 825
CANBERRA CITY ACT 2601

Tel: (02) 6205 3299
Fax: (02) 6205 2611

Email: IPTAS@act.gov.au