Evaluation of RCH Home-Based Hydration program

Between 2016 and 2018, PICS worked with Children’s Cancer Centre clinicians and the Hospital in the Home at the Royal Children’s Hospital to develop the Home-Based pre/post-Hydration (HBH) program.

This program fell under a broader PICS Home-Based Care project and was designed for osteosarcoma patients on methotrexate, launching in early 2019.

The program was later expanded to include other patient cohorts, such as those with medulloblastoma, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, or Ewing sarcoma, due to low numbers being diagnosed with osteosarcoma and strict eligibility criteria.

An evaluation took place in 2021–22 to better understand the impact of the HBH program, identify further areas for improvement, and draw out key learnings and recommendations for the benefit of the Royal Children’s Hospital and other health institutions planning to offer or expand on this service.