Challenging a misconception – nothing can be done to address financial toxicity

• Theme Survivorship, Cancer Care Coordination, Psycho-Oncology
• DATE 7 December 2021

Challenging a misconception – nothing can be done to address financial toxicity

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This webinar was led by COSA Survivorship’s Financial Toxicity Working Group. This multidisciplinary team has been working together on a range of projects to help to better define financial toxicity for cancer patients, and to better understand the knowledge, opinions, and current practices of supporting patients with cancer to alleviate financial concerns.

Facilitated by Prof Ray Chan, the webinar shared recent evidence on clinician experience and knowledge of financial toxicity in Australia, and featured case studies that demonstrate the range of patient experiences at different stages of cancer treatment and care. Following this we welcomed our panel representing various multidisciplinary team and consumer perspectives for a facilitated discussion with Q&A.

Participants developed an understanding of:

• the key issues that Australian clinicians have when faced with patients that are struggling financially
• how financial toxicity can happen at varying levels – from low levels of out-of-pocket expenses through to hidden expenses, as well as the higher cost of a big bill for treatment
• why practices and processes need to account for the range of patient experiences at different stages of cancer treatment and care
• what you can do to help recognise and address financial toxicity issues for your patients

Speakers/Panellists

• Open and acknowledgement of country - Professor Ray Chan, Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University SA
• Defining and understanding financial toxicity: Have we really done enough? - Megan Varlow, Director Cancer Control Policy, Cancer Council Australia 
• Current State of Practice for Addressing Financial Toxicity: A National Survey - Assoc Prof Louisa Gordon, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Panel: Challenging a misconception - nothing can be done to address financial toxicity

• Lee Hunt - Consumer representative
• Dr Deme Karikios - Medical oncologist
• Polly Dufton - Cancer Nurse
• Kim Hobbs - Social worker
• Laura Muir - Manager, Client Experience, Legal & Financial Services, Cancer Council NSW
• Dr Daniel Lindsay - Researcher in the field of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living with cancer

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