scholarly journals The role of family physicians in cancer care: perspectives of primary and specialty care providers

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Easley ◽  
B. Miedema ◽  
M.A. O'Brien ◽  
J. Carroll ◽  
D. Manca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Psychosocial Care ◽  
Family Physicians ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Care Providers

Background Currently, the specific role of family physicians (fps) in the care of people with cancer is not well defined. Our goal was to explore physician perspectives and contextual factors related to the coordination of cancer care and the role of fps.Methods Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we conducted telephone interviews with 58 primary and cancer specialist health care providers from across Canada.Results The participants—21 fps, 15 surgeons, 12 medical oncologists, 6 radiation oncologists, and 4 general practitioners in oncology—were asked to describe both the role that fps currently play and the role that, in their opinion, fps should play in the future care of cancer patients across the cancer continuum. Participants identified 3 key roles: coordinating cancer care, managing comorbidities, and providing psychosocial care to patients and their families. However, fps and specialists discussed many challenges that prevent fps from fully performing those roles:The fps described communication problems resulting from not being kept “in the loop” because they weren’t copied on patient reports and also the lack of clearly defined roles for all the various health care providers involved in providing care to cancer patients.The specialists expressed concerns about a lack of patient access to fp care, leaving specialists to fill the care gaps.The fps and specialists both recommended additional training and education for fps in survivorship care, cancer screening, genetic testing, and new cancer treatments.Conclusions Better communication, more collaboration, and further education are needed to enhance the role of fps in the care of cancer patients.

scholarly journals Digital Solutions for Cancer Survivorship Care (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Oakley-Girvan ◽  
Sharon Watkins Davis ◽  
Michelle Longmire
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Coordination ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Survivorship Care ◽  
Care Providers

BACKGROUND Both the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Institute of Medicine have stressed the importance of survivorship care plans (SCP) for cancer patients/survivors and discussed the significance and importance of required input from survivors and advocates. However, there are many barriers to cancer care coordination and the creation of SCPs, including oncology staff time required to write them. Although survivors valued SCPs and liked them, few survivors or caregivers report receiving survivorship information and in some studies, reported no receipt of an SCP. Digital platforms can support cancer survivorship care by integrating with the existing Electronic Health Record and presenting information in a dynamic and user-friendly format that improves coordination and communication. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we describe our involvement of stakeholders, including medical staff, patients/survivors and informal caregivers in developing a user-centered design for TOGETHERCARE, a smartphone app envisioned to provide critical functionality including planning and sharing of the SCP among survivors, physicians, and informal caregivers. METHODS Two interviewers conducted a total of nine semi-structured interviews, including a convenience sample of three health care providers who work with cancer patients, three cancer patients/survivors, and three informal caregivers currently caring for cancer patients/survivors. The interviews with Spanish-speaking patients/survivors and caregivers were conducted with a translator. Notes from the interviews were transcribed into a prepared template. The results were compiled and coded by two members of the core team. RESULTS We identified areas of consistency in responses between the three different groups in terms of how the application should work, as well as areas of difference. Additional suggestions for features for the application are also presented. Health care providers focused on the efficiency of using the application, features that would improve follow-up visits with patients and reduce the nursing triage, ER visits and readmissions. Survivors and caregivers were more focused on features that would provide assistance with patient appointment schedules, at-home medical tasks and activities of daily living. Although all three groups agreed that there is currently no systematic way for specialists to keep in touch with patients once they have moved to community care, and that SCPs would be useful, the practice of providing SCPs is rarely implemented. Survivors, caregivers, and providers all agreed that they have smartphones and that an app that includes the ability to communicate between the different groups, along with other features such as guidance on assisting with daily medical tasks and activities of daily living would be useful. CONCLUSIONS The pervasiveness of mobile devices and mobile app use provides an opportunity to make survivorship information and plans more readily available to caregivers and survivors, and to incorporate patient outcome reporting. Health care providers, cancer survivors, and informal caregivers all responded positively to a variety of features that could improve the efficiency of cancer care coordination and dynamic SCP provision.

Cancer Patients' and Health Care Providers' Perspectives on Smoking Relapse

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vani N. Simmons ◽  
Erika B. Litvin ◽  
Riddhi Patel ◽  
Paul B. Jacobsen ◽  
Judith McCaffrey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Smoking Relapse

Commentary on “Diabetes and people with learning disabilities: issues for policy, practice and education”

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianne Redquest ◽  
Yona Lunsky
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Diabetes Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Family Carers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Practice

Purpose There has been an increase in research exploring the area of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and diabetes. Despite being described as instrumental to diabetes care for people with IDD, the role and experiences of family carers, such as parents and siblings, are often neglected in this research. However, it is clear that family carers do not feel that they have sufficient knowledge about diabetes. The purpose of this commentary is to extend the content from “Diabetes and people with learning disabilities: Issues for policy, practice, and education (Maine et al., 2020)” and discuss how family carers can feel better supported when caring for someone with IDD and diabetes. Design/methodology/approach This commentary discusses specific efforts such as STOP diabetes, DESMOND-ID and OK-diabetes for people with IDD including family carers. Encouragement is given for health care providers to recommend such programmes to people with IDD and their family carers. It is also suggested that health care providers involve family carers in diabetes care planning and implementation for people with IDD. Findings It is hoped that if changes are made to current diabetes practices and more research with family carers is conducted, diabetes prevention and management for people with IDD will be more successful and family carers can feel more confident in providing support to their loved ones. Originality/value Research exploring the role of family carers in diabetes care for people with IDD and diabetes is very limited. This commentary makes recommendations to help family carers feel better supported in their role. It also provides areas for future research.

scholarly journals Massage Therapy in Outpatient Cancer Care: A Metropolitan Area Analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 851-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia S. Cowen ◽  
Robin Streit Miccio ◽  
Bijal Parikh
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Therapeutic Touch ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Systematic Analysis

Massage offers cancer patients general quality of life benefits as well as alleviation of cancer-related symptoms/cancer-treatment–related symptoms including pain, anxiety, and fatigue. Little is known about whether massage is accessible to cancer patients who receive treatment in the outpatient setting and how massage is incorporated into the overall cancer treatment plan. Outpatient cancer centers (n = 78) in a single metropolitan area were included this mixed-methods project that included a systematic analysis of website information and a telephone survey. Massage was offered at only 40 centers (51.3% of total). A range of massage modalities were represented, with energy-based therapies (Reiki and Therapeutic Touch) most frequently provided. Although massage therapists are licensed health care providers in the states included in this analysis, massage was also provided by nurses, physical therapists, and other health care professionals.

scholarly journals The role of community pharmacists in increasing access and use of self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: examples from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Somalia

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luna El Bizri ◽  
Laila Ghazi Jarrar ◽  
Wael K. Ali Ali ◽  
Abdifatah H. Omar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Universal Health

Abstract Background Self-care interventions offer a solution to support the achievement of three goals of the World Health Organization (WHO): to improve universal health coverage, reach people in humanitarian situations, and improve health and well-being. In light of implementing WHO consolidated guidelines on self-care interventions to strengthen sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists from four different EMR countries discussed the current SRH situation, inequality gaps, barriers to SRH service access and the pharmacist’s crucial role as a first-line responder to patients before, during and after COVID-19. Case presentation Self-care interventions for SRH allow health care providers to serve a greater number of patients, improve progress toward universal health coverage, and reach people in humanitarian crises. In fact, these interventions can be significantly enhanced by utilizing community pharmacists as first-line health care providers. This review highlights the important role of community pharmacists in promoting self-care interventions and empowering individuals, families and communities. As a result, well-informed individuals will be authoritative in their health decisions. Exploring self-care interventions in the EMR was done through reviewing selected SRH services delivery through community pharmacists before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Somalia. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacists were found to be excluded from both governmental and nongovernmental SRH programmes. During the pandemic, community pharmacists managed to support patients with self-care interventions, whether voluntarily or through their pharmacy associations. This highlights the need for the health care decision-makers to involve and support community pharmacists in influencing policies and promoting self-care interventions. Conclusion Self-care interventions can increase individuals’ choice and autonomy over SRH. Supporting community pharmacists will definitely strengthen SRH in the EMR and may help make the health system more efficient and more targeted.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document