Delivering colon cancer survivorship care in primary care; a qualitative study on the experiences of general practitioners

As the likelihood of cancer survival rises globally, so does the need for oncological care. It begs the question: Should survivorship care primarily fall on general practitioners (GPs) or specialists? A long-term Dutch study called I CARE sought to understand the experiences of GPs in implementing survivorship care for colon cancer patients. 17 GPs were interviewed after 1-year of care, 3 of which were interviewed after 5-years of care. Overall, GPs did not find it considerably difficult to deliver survivorship care but were hesitant of its permanent inclusion in primary care due to additional workload and financial cost. While the patients’ initiative to schedule and attend check-ups assisted GPs with delivery of care, GPs also faced significant obstacles. This included lack of experience, as well as lack of clarity around expectations of their roles and responsibilities for coordinating this care. Although GPs recognise the prospective benefits for patients, caregivers, and society, they have mixed opinions around the inclusion of colon cancer survivorship in primary care as they face both personal and systemic barriers that will require additional resources to overcome. Read the original article here.