title: Follow-up policies at Canadian head and neck cancer treatment centres.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to demonstrate the extent of the variation in follow-up policies in Canadian head and neck cancer treatment centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  telephone survey of head and neck surgeons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  there is a wide variation in both follow-up policies and beliefs about follow-up. The majority of centres saw patients every 2 to 3 months for the first 2 years, every 3 to 4 months in year 3, and every 6 months in years 4 and 5.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  research is required to determine effective follow-up policies to maximize both patient outcomes and resource management as the numbers of patients in follow-up increase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology and Division of Cancer Care adn Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON.
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans