Background and Aims: Cognitive impairment can have devastating impacts for people with a brain tumour and their caregivers. Routine cognitive assessment can assist with identifying and supporting cognitive impairment. However, there remain challenges in integrating this additional process in already busy and complex clinical settings. To work toward a system-wide approach to implementation, this study aimed to understand healthcare professionals’ (including allied health) experiences and needs of assessing patients for cognitive impairment and supporting patients and caregivers where impairment is identified.
Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with eleven healthcare professionals working with people with Brain Cancer in an Australian Local Area Health District. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: Thematic analysis indicated that identifying and supporting cognition would generally be regarded as secondary to more immediate symptoms and side-effects. However, healthcare professionals indicated they were formally and informally endeavouring to identify cognitive changes using the resources and skills available to them. Assessment approaches were reported to be designed to identify cognitive changes and support needs specifically related to their discipline. This approach suggests that missed opportunities to identify and support cognitive changes in a more holistic manner and thus minimise duplication of work across disciplines. Health services implementing routine cognitive assessment and referral pathways should consider mapping patient pathways through health services and identifying the cognitive information needs of healthcare professionals across the treating team. This approach could aid in ensuring the provision of best-practice supportive care.