Internet CareLink for Pediatric Home Chemotherapy

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose to evaluate Pediatric Cancer CareLink, an Internet-based system designed to support home management of childhood leukemia. Protocols for childhood leukemia involve multiple cycles of chemotherapy that can be administered at home. However, the proper administration of these potentially life-saving medications in the home is a safety issue. Pediatric Cancer CareLink will support the care of these children by helping their parents manage medications, side effects of treatment, and potential complications. Pediatric Cancer CareLink will provide families with a direct link to the oncology team responsible for their child's care. In our Phase I research we identifed clinician and patient requirements for Pediatric Cancer CareLink. We determined that families and clinicans would be likely to use the Internet-based support system and that they believed the system would provide benefits and advantages compared with not having the system available. In Phase II our primary objectives will be to evaluate whether parents with access to Pediatric Cancer CareLink are more comfortable with managing their child's medications and medication side effects at home, and whether they report a higher level of satisfaction with the overall outpatient care that their child receives, than are parents without access to CareLink. We will also evaluate whether patients with access to Cancer CareLink report less at home medication errors or missed medication doses, than do patients do not have access to CareLink. Twenty parent volunteers who do not have access to Pediatric Cancer CareLink will be asked to complete two questionnaires at 2 months and 6 months into their child's therapy. Results from these questionnaires will be compared with the same questionnaires from twenty parent volunteers at 2 months and 6 months into their child's therapy, who do have access to Pediatric Cancer CareLink. Pediatric Cancer CareLink will provide families a direct, secure Internet care support channel to their cancer care team. This innovative system will empower providers and families to improve care processes and outcomes for children with ALL. PediatricCancer CareLink will serve as a model for enhancing care processes and outcomes for patients and families dealing with other forms of cancer and with other treatment regimens.