6.2.2 Community Site Selection
The selection of community hospitals where the satellite care of pediatric oncology patients can occur within the scope of practice defined in Section 2.3 will depend on:
- Expressed Interest
- Designation: of local caregivers who will pursue necessary professional education and commit to ongoing participation in the program (Section 6.5.2).
- Commitment to Participate: in education for satellite practice, both initial and ongoing (Section 6.5.2).
- Ability and Commitment: to meet infrastructure, policy and practice requirements (Section 2.3; Section 6.5.2)
- Entry into Affiliation Agreements: Satellite programs will enter into appropriate agreements with each tertiary partner and POGO (Section 6.5.2).
- Commitment to ensure appropriate conditions to participate in care delivery to children enrolled on clinical trials – including participation in the Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board process designed to streamline ethics approval for these trials; AND a signed research agreement between satellite and tertiary hospital(s) (Section 7.0)
- Commitment to Participate: in a formal evaluation of the satellite model of pediatric oncology care delivery (Section 6.5.2).
- Agreed Geographic Catchment Area: rationalized according to the potential, forecast size of the program’s patient population. An accumulated minimum caseload of 20-30 patients is believed to be optimal. The creation of the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) may influence catchment areas – however, the need for a minimum caseload should not be affected.