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Eleanor Jackson Bowers, PHC RIS
Traditionally the role of primary health care in cancer care has been in the areas of prevention, screening, early diagnosis and referral, supportive and palliative care, with most treatment and follow up being carried out in hospitals or by specialists. However, long term trends due to population ageing and increased survivorship are prompting change. Cancer is increasingly being treated as a chronic disease, requiring surveillance for recurrence, psychosocial support and management of complications and a number of commentators are calling for an increased role for primary care.
In a plenary at the 2007 GP & PHC Research Conference, Cancer Australia CEO David Currow argued that, at all points of the cancer trajectory, care could be improved by broader and more effective engagement of primary care. He estimated that if everyone received current best evidence care, cancer outcomes could be improved by 10 to 15%.
There is early evidence that in some conditions, follow up transfer of care to GPs is safe and effective. However, there is also some evidence that there are discrepancies in cancer diagnosis and treatment between rural and urban areas and that Indigenous people experience poorer outcomes. In the latest issue of RESEARCH ROUNDup, PHC RIS brings you up to date with this Australian research looking at the role of primary health care in caring for people with cancer.
One program to watch is the Cancer Service Networks National Demonstration Program (CanNET), funded by the Australian Government through Cancer Australia until May 2009. Seven demonstration sites have developed managed clinical networks which provide linkages between health professionals, continuing professional development, communication and data systems, quality improvement activities and facilitate multidisciplinary care. The program is being comprehensively evaluated and we await the findings with interest.
To view this issue visit: <www.phcris.org.au/researchroundup/>
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