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Fox J, Thamm C, Mitchell G, Emery J, Rhee J, Hart NH, Yates P, Jefford M, Koczwara B, Halcomb E, Steinhardt R, O'Reilly R, Chan RJ. Cancer survivorship care and general practice: A qualitative study of roles of general practice team members in Australia. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2022; 30:e1415-e1426. [PMID: 34423502 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Primary care providers, including general practice teams (GPTs), are well positioned within the community to integrate cancer survivorship care into ongoing health management. However, roles of GPT members in delivery of cancer survivorship care have not been explored. The purpose of this study is to explore these roles from the perspectives of General Practitioners (GPs), Practice Nurses (PNs) and Practice Managers (PMs). An interpretive qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth telephone interviews with ten GPs, nine PNs and five PMs was conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using grounded theory methods. Perspectives of roles in delivery of cancer survivorship care were highly variable. Variation was evident among perceptions of needs of cancer survivors, individual team members' scopes of practice, and individual professional knowledge and skills. A lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities of GPT members was thought to contribute to a lack of consistency in survivorship care. Reducing variations in perceptions of survivorship care in the primary care setting should be a priority. Such efforts may include development of practical guidance to support GPT members to clarify scopes of practice within the team. In addition to accessible comprehensive education programs, other innovative, tailored individualised education approaches may be helpful. System-level support in clarifying and supporting the roles of the primary care team is needed to facilitate a survivorship delivery system at general practice level where those within GPT can ensure that individual patients' needs are met in a timely and effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Fox
- Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Carla Thamm
- Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Geoff Mitchell
- Limestone Medical Centre, Ipswich, Qld, Australia
- Primary Care Clinical Unit, University of Queensland, Herston, Qld, Australia
| | - Jon Emery
- Centre for Cancer Research and Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Joel Rhee
- General Practice Academic Unit, School of Medicine, The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicolas H Hart
- Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Institute for Health Research, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, SA, Australia
- East Brunswick Medical Centre, Brunswick, Vic., Australia
| | - Patsy Yates
- Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Division of Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Michael Jefford
- Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Bogda Koczwara
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Halcomb
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Roslyn O'Reilly
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Indigenous Health, The University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Raymond J Chan
- Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, SA, Australia
- East Brunswick Medical Centre, Brunswick, Vic., Australia
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