A doctor close at hand: How GPs view their role in cancer care.
OBJECTIVE
To explore GPs' own views on their role in cancer care.


METHODS
Qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews.


METHODS
Norwegian primary care.


METHODS
The stories of 14 GPs concerning 18 patients were analyzed for core content and abstracted into general ideas, to create a broader sense of the experienced professional role.


RESULTS
The GPs claimed to have an important role in cancer care. In our analysis, three main aspects of GPs' work emerged: first, as a flexible mediator, e.g. between the patient and the clinic, interpreting and translating; second, as an efficient "handyman", solving practical problems locally; and third, as a personal companion for the patient throughout the illness.


CONCLUSIONS
The interviewed GPs see their place in cancer care as being close to their patients. In their many tasks we found three main aspects: the mediating, the practical, and the personal.
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway. May-Lill.Johansen@uit.no
May-Lill
ML
Johansen
Knut Arne
KA
Holtedahl
Carl Edvard
CE
Rudebeck
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009664:Norway; D010166:Palliative Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010819:Physician's Role; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care