BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Information about primary care physicians' (PCPs) and oncologists' involvement in cancer-related follow-up care, and care coordination practices, is lacking but essential to improving cancer survivors' care. This study assesses PCPs' and oncologists' self-reported roles in providing cancer-related follow-up care for survivors who are within 5 years of completing cancer treatment. METHODS: In 2009, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society conducted a nationally representative survey of PCPs (n=1,014) and medical oncologists (n=1,125) (response rate=57.6%, cooperation rate=65.1%). Mailed questionnaires obtained information on physicians' roles in providing cancer-related follow-up care to early-stage breast and colon cancer survivors, personal and practice characteristics, beliefs about and preferences for follow-up care, and care coordination practices. RESULTS: More than 50% of PCPs reported providing cancer-related follow-up care for survivors, mainly by co-managing with an oncologist. In contrast, more than 70% of oncologists reported fulfilling these roles by providing the care themselves. In adjusted analyses, PCP co-management was associated with specialty, training in late or long-term effects of cancer, higher cancer patient volume, favorable attitudes about PCP care involvement, preference for a shared model of survivorship care, and receipt of treatment summaries from oncologists. Among oncologists, only preference for a shared care model was associated with co-management with PCPs. CONCLUSIONS: PCPs and oncologists differ in their involvement in cancer-related follow-up care of survivors, with co-management more often reported by PCPs than by oncologists. Given anticipated national shortages of PCPs and oncologists, study results suggest that improved communication and coordination between these providers is needed to ensure optimal delivery of follow-up care to cancer survivors.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Information about primary care physicians' (PCPs) and oncologists' involvement in cancer-related follow-up care, and care coordination practices, is lacking but essential to improving cancer survivors' care. This study assesses PCPs' and oncologists' self-reported roles in providing cancer-related follow-up care for survivors who are within 5 years of completing cancer treatment. METHODS: In 2009, the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society conducted a nationally representative survey of PCPs (n=1,014) and medical oncologists (n=1,125) (response rate=57.6%, cooperation rate=65.1%). Mailed questionnaires obtained information on physicians' roles in providing cancer-related follow-up care to early-stage breast and colon cancer survivors, personal and practice characteristics, beliefs about and preferences for follow-up care, and care coordination practices. RESULTS: More than 50% of PCPs reported providing cancer-related follow-up care for survivors, mainly by co-managing with an oncologist. In contrast, more than 70% of oncologists reported fulfilling these roles by providing the care themselves. In adjusted analyses, PCP co-management was associated with specialty, training in late or long-term effects of cancer, higher cancerpatient volume, favorable attitudes about PCP care involvement, preference for a shared model of survivorship care, and receipt of treatment summaries from oncologists. Among oncologists, only preference for a shared care model was associated with co-management with PCPs. CONCLUSIONS: PCPs and oncologists differ in their involvement in cancer-related follow-up care of survivors, with co-management more often reported by PCPs than by oncologists. Given anticipated national shortages of PCPs and oncologists, study results suggest that improved communication and coordination between these providers is needed to ensure optimal delivery of follow-up care to cancer survivors.
Authors: Carla Parry; Erin E Kent; Angela B Mariotto; Catherine M Alfano; Julia H Rowland Journal: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Date: 2011-10 Impact factor: 4.254
Authors: Christopher E Desch; Al B Benson; Mark R Somerfield; Patrick J Flynn; Carol Krause; Charles L Loprinzi; Bruce D Minsky; David G Pfister; Katherine S Virgo; Nicholas J Petrelli Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2005-10-31 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Arnold L Potosky; Paul K J Han; Julia Rowland; Carrie N Klabunde; Tenbroeck Smith; Noreen Aziz; Craig Earle; John Z Ayanian; Patricia A Ganz; Michael Stefanek Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2011-07-22 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Danielle E Rose; Diana M Tisnado; May L Tao; Jennifer L Malin; John L Adams; Patricia A Ganz; Katherine L Kahn Journal: Health Serv Res Date: 2011-12-15 Impact factor: 3.402
Authors: John Z Ayanian; Alan M Zaslavsky; Neeraj K Arora; Katherine L Kahn; Jennifer L Malin; Patricia A Ganz; Michelle van Ryn; Mark C Hornbrook; Catarina I Kiefe; Yulei He; Julie M Urmie; Jane C Weeks; David P Harrington Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2010-08-16 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: David A Haggstrom; Neeraj K Arora; Paul Helft; Marla L Clayman; Ingrid Oakley-Girvan Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Jennifer M Jones; Karin Olson; Pamela Catton; Charles N Catton; Neil E Fleshner; Monika K Krzyzanowska; David R McCready; Rebecca K S Wong; Haiyan Jiang; Doris Howell Journal: J Cancer Surviv Date: 2015-04-16 Impact factor: 4.442
Authors: Tenbroeck G Smith; Sara Strollo; Xin Hu; Craig C Earle; Corinne R Leach; Larissa Nekhlyudov Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2019-07-31 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Denalee O'Malley; Shawna V Hudson; Larissa Nekhlyudov; Jenna Howard; Ellen Rubinstein; Heather S Lee; Linda S Overholser; Amy Shaw; Sarah Givens; Jay S Burton; Eva Grunfeld; Carly Parry; Benjamin F Crabtree Journal: J Cancer Surviv Date: 2016-06-08 Impact factor: 4.442
Authors: Amye J Tevaarwerk; Xiao Zhang; James Haine; Kirsten Norslien; Mary F Henningfield; Chelsea Stietz; David Hahn; Mary E Sesto Journal: J Cancer Educ Date: 2021-04-26 Impact factor: 2.037
Authors: Simon J Craddock Lee; Mark A Clark; John V Cox; Burton M Needles; Carole Seigel; Bijal A Balasubramanian Journal: J Oncol Pract Date: 2016-10-31 Impact factor: 3.840