Improving health care for adult survivors of childhood cancer: recommendations from a delphi panel of health policy experts.
OBJECTIVE
To identify barriers to, models of care for, and initiatives to improve health care of adult survivors of childhood cancer.


METHODS
Seventeen health care policy experts were asked to respond to the three objectives through a three-iterative Delphi process.


RESULTS
Key barriers identified were that primary care physicians are unfamiliar with the health problems of survivors and survivors are often unaware of their risks. The recommended model of care would incorporate the chronic disease management model. Highest priority initiatives recommended were targeted education of primary care physicians and survivors, development and evaluation of standards of survivorship care, and a national web-based information center.


CONCLUSIONS
The insights and recommendations of the panel provide a foundation intended to improve health care of cancer survivors.
Mertens
Ann C
AC
Division of Pediatric Epidemiology and Clinical Research, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 715, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. mertens@epi.umn.edu
Cotter
Kelly L
KL
Foster
Barbara M
BM
Zebrack
Brad J
BJ
Hudson
Melissa M
MM
Eshelman
Debra
D
Loftis
Lauren
L
Sozio
Margaret
M
Oeffinger
Kevin C
KC
D000328:Adult; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006291:Health Policy; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D017741:Survivors; D014481:United States