title: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies: attitudes of general practitioners and how management may be improved.
abstract: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has replaced surgical gastrostomy in patients requiring long-term enteral nutrition. Increasing numbers of patients are being referred for PEG placement. Concern has been raised about patient selection and subsequent follow-up of these patients in the community. We report the views of Northern Ireland GPs to PEGs and how management may be improved.
authors.affiliation: Care of the Elderly Unit, Ulster Hospital Dundonald, Belfast BT16 ORH, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heaney
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tham
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003153:Community Health Services; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009660:Northern Ireland; D018579:Patient Selection; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires