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Design: A multi-methods, single-centre pilot comprising a quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design and an exploratory qualitative study., Setting: A rural Australian hospital and health service., Participants: Men newly diagnosed with localised prostate cancer who were scheduled to undergo, or had undergone, radical or robotic prostatectomy surgery within the previous 3 months., Intervention: The intervention comprised a 12-week virtual care program delivered via teleconference by a specialist nurse, using a pre-existing connected care platform. The program was tailored to the post-operative recovery journey targeting post-operative care, psychoeducation, problem-solving and goal setting., Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome: program acceptability., Secondary Outcomes: quality of life; prostate cancer-related distress; insomnia severity; fatigue severity; measured at baseline (T1); immediately post-intervention (T2); and 12 weeks post-intervention (T3)., Results: Seventeen participants completed the program. The program intervention showed very high levels (≥4/5) of acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility. At T1, 47% (n = 8) of men reported clinically significant psychological distress, which had significantly decreased by T3 (p = 0.020). There was a significant improvement in urinary irritative/obstructive symptoms (p = 0.030) and a corresponding decrease in urinary function burden (p = 0.005) from T1 to T3., Conclusions: This pilot has shown that a tailored nurse-led virtual care program, incorporating post-surgical follow-up and integrated low-intensity psychosocial care, is both acceptable to rural participants and feasible in terms of implementation and impact on patient outcomes., (© 2024 The Author(s). Australian Journal of Rural Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of National Rural Health Alliance Ltd.)

Objective: To assess the acceptability of a nurse-led prostate cancer survivorship intervention adapted for virtual delivery and tailored to post-surgical care, in a regional Australian hospital and health service., Methods: A qualitative exploratory study using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA)., Results: Twenty-two participants took part in a semistructured interview comprising men who had completed the program (n = 16) and health professionals/service stakeholders involved in program delivery (n = 6). Acceptability of this virtual prostate cancer survivorship care program was very high across all constructs of the TFA, from the perspectives of both program recipients and those delivering the program. The quality of care received was seen as superior to what men had experienced previously (burden, opportunity costs). The time afforded by the regularly scheduled video-consultations allowed men to come to terms with the recovery process in their own time (self-efficacy), and provided an ongoing sense of support and access to care outside the consultation (ethicality). Clinically, the program improved care co-ordination, expedited identification of survivorship care needs, and met service priorities of providing quality care close to home (burden, perceived effectiveness)., Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest virtual post-surgical care delivered via videoconferencing is highly acceptable to prostate cancer survivors in a regional setting. Future research exploring virtual program implementation at scale and long-term patient and service outcomes is warranted., (© 2023 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)