On World Cancer Day, Monday 4 February 2019, public hospital Calvary Mater Newcastle, the major cancer care centre for the Hunter New England Local Health District, unveiled its new cancer App, CANcierge.
CANcierge provides easily accessible, relevant and reliable information to help navigate cancer care at Calvary Mater Newcastle.
Associate Professor and Medical Oncology Staff Specialist, Craig Gedye said the app is designed to assist people living with cancer throughout accessing care at Calvary Mater Newcastle.
“Being told you have cancer is a life-changing moment, where you are transported to an unexpected place, with foreign customs and an unknown language,” Craig said.
“Inspired by the experiences of the patients we serve; Calvary Mater Newcastle has developed the CANcierge App; a concierge to help people living with cancer navigate this unplanned detour in their lives.”
The app allows users to access a wealth of information in one place. Users can record vital information; make note of members on their treating team; find helpful support information; access information about chemotherapy and other treatments and tests; access information about the range of services, amenities and support services available at Calvary Mater Newcastle; access a range of community groups and services; and find links to services and resources to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples affected by cancer related illnesses.
Oncology Nurse Practitioner and CANcierge Project Lead at Calvary Mater Newcastle, Gillian Blanchard said the app addresses a gap in the market for patients.
“There are very good sources of general information available about cancer and treatment, however, we recognised that members of our community wanted specific information about how cancer treatment and support is delivered to them where they live – Where do I go? How do I find the clinic? Who can help me solve each problem?
“This app has been designed by Calvary Mater Newcastle patients, carers and staff allowing these questions to be answered and the desire for 24/7 information to be met. We are extremely grateful for the kind financial support of the Calvary Mater Newcastle Auxiliary – without their assistance this app couldn’t have been developed,” Gillian said.
The CANcierge app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or Android Google Play.
IMAGE | Members of the CANcierge App team – from left to right: Radiation Oncology Nurse Practitioner Yolande Cox; Medical Oncology Nurse Practitioner Gillian Blanchard; and Gastro-intestinal Cancer Clinical Nurse Consultant Catherine Johnson.
