Optimizing endometrial cancer follow-up and survivorship care for rural and other underserved women: Patient and provider perspectives.
This study describes patient and provider attitudes on transitioning cancer surveillance visits and treatment of comorbid conditions to the primary care setting in a rural patient population as a strategy for minimizing financial and travel related barriers for patients while simultaneously enhancing quality and availability of health care options.



Focus group discussions and telephone interviews were conducted with endometrial cancer (EC) survivors and primary care providers (PCPs) to provide insights into post-treatment follow-up practices and the acceptability of transitioning follow-up to primary care setting utilizing a cancer survivorship care plan model.



EC survivors expressed high levels of satisfaction with their oncology care and suggested that transitioning to PCPs for follow-up care would be convenient yet challenging. Challenges cited include: 1) patient perceptions of deficits in PCP's understandings of cancer surveillance; 2) inability to identify a personal PCP; and 3) lack of communication between oncologists and PCPs. PCP participants similarly identified the need for extensive EC training and effective communication strategies with oncologists as necessary factors for accepting responsibility for EC follow-up care. Both groups offered strategies to create a more team based approach to EC survivorship care.



Increasing the role of the PCP in the ongoing care of EC survivors was generally considered acceptable by both patients and providers in both rural and urban women. Successful coordination of care between cancer survivors, oncologists and PCPs will be a critical step in improving the cancer care delivery of our rural patient and provider population.
University of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, United States. Electronic address: trutledge@salud.unm.edu.
Teresa L
TL
Rutledge
University of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research and Treatment Center Population Science Academic Unit, United States.
Miria
M
Kano
University of New Mexico, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Research and Treatment Center Population Science Academic Unit, United States.
Dolores
D
Guest
University of New Mexico, Department of Family and Community Medicine, United States.
Andrew
A
Sussman
University of New Mexico, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, United States.
Anita Y
AY
Kinney
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D009516:New Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012424:Rural Population; D017741:Survivors
Cancer care delivery; Cancer survivorship; Endometrial cancer