Abstract Body

1. Background and purpose

According to patients and professionals all cancer patients are entitled to get personalised cancer care, i.e. treatment that offers them the best chances for survival and optimal quality of life in accordance with their personal background. GPs are in optimal position to support their patients in complex cancer treatment decisions: not only regarding the optimal treatment but also concerning the best hospital to be treated in. We explored the vision of GPs in the Netherlands on the use of outcome information in the guidance of their cancer patients and in the choice of the best specialist and the best hospital for treatment.

2. Methods

In a qualitative study we assessed leading themes among 25 GPs using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and a focus group.

3. Results

GPs deem it important to help their cancer patients to make the best treatment choice. Most of them believe that publicly available outcome information about cancer treatment could contribute to the decision making process. However, they do not consider this information necessary for every patient, as for most types of cancer they rely on the treatment advice of the oncologist in their referral hospital, with whom they often have a long standing collaboration.

4. Conclusion

This study shows that GPs believe they play a limited role in raising awareness among cancer patients about the need for expert cancer care, and tend to rely on existing professional collaboration with the local hospital.