Timely cancer diagnosis and management as a chronic condition: opportunities for primary care.
One in three men and one in four women in Australia will be diagnosed with cancer in the first 75 years of life. The majority will survive the cancer and ultimately die from unrelated causes. Many cancer patients and their families will experience some physical, social, economic and psychological sequelae, regardless of the prognosis. A recurring theme is that patients are disadvantaged by the lack of coordination of care and their needs are not being adequately met. We argue that greater integration of care through a multidisciplinary team of professionals, peer support groups and primary health practitioners functioning within a care hub could offer better practical and psychosocial supportive care for patients and their families.
Jiwa
Moyez
M
Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA, Australia. m.jiwa@curtin.edu.au
Saunders
Christobel M
CM
Thompson
Sandra C
SC
Rosenwax
Lorna K
LK
Sargant
Scott
S
Khong
Eric L
EL
Halkett
Georgia K B
GK
Sutherland
Gloria
G
Ee
Hooi C
HC
Packer
Tanya L
TL
Merriman
Gareth
G
Arnet
Hayley R
HR
D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005192:Family Health; D005194:Family Practice / Q000639:trends; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000639:trends