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. 2023 Dec 20;71(2):304–311. doi: 10.1002/jmrs.747

Table 2.

Overview of the processes for case study 1 (quality improvement project) and case study 2 (research project).

Case Study 1: Harnessing the power of consumer co‐design to create multimedia patient education resources for AYA patients who require radiation therapy Case Study 2: Preferences for Image‐guidance in prostate cancer radiation therapy
Type of Project A quality improvement project with ethics exemption A research study, with ethics approval
Who was involved

2 Radiation Therapists in Project Leadership Team

2 Consumers in Project Leadership Team

1 Allied Health Research Coordinator

7 Consumers participated in design and content proposals

Principle Investigator (PI): A Radiation Therapist PhD Candidate

5 PhD Supervisors (both clinical and academic)

1 Consumer Investigator
What prompted consumer engagement Our target audience was the catalyst for consumer engagement and strong advocacy within the sector to engage AYA consumers in all aspects of health improvement work. 22 Suggestion by an academic supervisor, as this was standard practice at their institution for patient preference methodology
Consumer involvement (Fig. 1) Collaborate Collaborate
Requirement for ‘right’ consumer

Design of Product: Any AYA with experience in oncology previously provided with education materials about cancer treatment.

Leadership Team: Former AYA RT patients who had the capacity to meet monthly for 6 months.

AYA Interviews: 4 former AYA RT patients who desired to share their treatment experiences

 Lived experience, specifically: a patient with prostate cancer who had recently undergone radiation therapy treatment with image‐guidance
How consumer/s were recruited Through collaboration with the Queensland Youth Cancer Service (QYCS) Youth Advisory Group (YAG) A shortlist of patients who had recently completed treatment at the department was compiled by the PI and clinical supervisor/co‐investigator. A brief letter of introduction was sent out, with a follow‐up telephone call by the PI
Specific Considerations

  • Collaboration with any AYA cancer patients.

  • 2 AYA consumer champions to join the leadership team (From YAG).

  • Funding.

  • Deliverable deadlines as outlined in the grant funding application dictated the execution of the project

  • Training in research methods (basic)

  • Confidentiality—although the consumer‐investigator was not accessing direct patient data, he was accessing de‐identified survey results
Funding Project funding was secured through the Metro North Health Collaborative for Allied Health Research, Learning and Innovation (CAHRLI) Hospital research grant awarded included parking costs for consumers and costs (travel, accommodation and registration) for co‐presenting at a conference
Final outcome and/or output

Two video resources used locally and across the state:

CCS Radiotherapy overview for adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients on Vimeo 1

Radiation Therapy – TBI from CSDS on Vimeo 2

Two research publications

Three conference presentations with consumer videos incorporated

AYA, adolescents and young adults; CSDS, Clinical Skills Development Service; MDT, Multidisciplinary Team; PhD, Doctor of Philosophy; PI, Principal Investigator; QLD, Queensland; QYCS, Queensland Youth Cancer Service; YAG, Youth Advisory Group.