Skin triage - A collaborative approach to skin cancer

Global Summit on Melanoma & Carcinoma

July 14-15, 2016 Brisbane, Australia

Karen M Ong

Spotscreen, Australia

Keynote: J Cancer Sci Ther

Abstract :

The Skin Triage process provides a streamlined, centralized, multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers. It aims to significantly reduce the increasing mortality and morbidity rates and provide a comprehensive central data base of accurate pre-cancers, non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancer incidence. It guides research and health planning on a national and international level through analysis of individual behaviours and drivers, geographic, demographic and anatomic trends. The process was developed after areas of deficit were identified from statistical data collected during thousands of workplace skin cancer checks. These deficits potentially add to increasing rates of skin cancer, late stage diagnosis and poor health outcomes. They include community attitudes, misinformation, a lack of practitioner education experience or training in primary skin cancer medicine, failure to diagnose, misdiagnosis, ineffective or inaccurate pathology reporting, and untimely or ineffective treatment and follow up. No other health model exists offering a strategic course of education, surveillance, early detection, accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for skin cancer, which also provides health professionals a business center with financial longevity. The model is a four staged triage process enabling the practitioner, practice, or specialty service to operate within any, or all four stages, and encompasses the use of telehealth services. Scientific research has identified that global warming and Ozone depletion will see skin cancer rates continue to climb, The Skin Triage Process provides data analysis for the scientific and health communities to enable proactive and dynamic prevention and early detection strategies.

Biography :

Karen M Ong is a BN RN qualified in Oncology, Primary Skin Cancer Medicine and Dermoscopy. She is Founder and Director of Spotscreen, a leading organisation delivering primary skin cancer clinics to workplaces throughout Australia. She has published “The Number 1 Guide to Preventing Skin Cancer; proven advice from an expert”. Analysing data gleaned from thousands of screeing participants, she identified high risk factors contributing to current morbidity and mortality rates of skin cancer, and developed the “Skin Triage Process”, a collaborative approach to skin cancer detection and management. As a project manager, she developed programs for state and commonwealth health initiatives.

Email: karen@spotscreen.net.au