title: Family physicians who have focused practices in oncology: results of a national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the demographic characteristics, practice profile, and current work life of general practitioners in oncology (GPOs) for the first time.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Web survey performed in March 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Members of the national GPO organization. Respondents were asked to forward the survey to non-member colleagues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Profile of work as GPOs and in other medical roles, training received, demographic characteristics, and professional satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 73.3% for members of the Canadian Association of General Practitioners in Oncology; overall, 120 surveys were completed. Respondents worked in similar proportions in small and larger communities. About 60% of them had participated in formal training programs. Most respondents worked part-time as GPOs and also worked in other medical roles, particularly palliative care, primary care practice, teaching, and hospital work. More GPOs from cities with populations of greater than 100 000 worked solely as GPOs than those from smaller communities (P = .0057). General practitioners in oncology played a variety of roles in the cancer care system, particularly in systemic therapy, palliative care, inpatient care, and teaching. As a group, more than half of respondents were involved in the care of each of the 11 common cancer types. Overall, 87.8% of respondents worked in outpatient care, 59.1% provided inpatient care, and 33.0% provided on-call services; 92.8% were satisfied with their work as GPOs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General practitioners in oncology are involved in all cancer care settings and usually combine this work with other roles, particularly with palliative care in rural Canada. Training is inconsistent but initiatives are under way to address this. Job satisfaction is better than that of Canadian FPs in general. As generalists, FPs bring a valuable skill set to their work as GPOs in the cancer care system.
authors.affiliation: CancerCare Manitoba, 675 McDermot Ave, Room ON2076, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada. jeff.sisler@cancercare.mb.ca
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sisler
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DeCarolis
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Gokulan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sivananthan
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002170:Canada; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016522:Oncology Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D060926:Remuneration; D019035:Rural Health Services; D013663:Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019037:Urban Health Services