Programmaleider Communicatie in de Gezondheidszorg; bijzonder hoogleraar Communicatie in de gezondheidszorg, Radboudumc
Publicatie
Publicatie datum
Actively approaching women with a history of ovarian cancer for genetic counselling by GP, desirable and feasible?
Vliet, L.M. van, Helpser, C.W., Velthuizen, M.E., Dulmen, A.M. van, Zweemer, R.P., Witteveen, P.O., Butter, E.S.F.A., Luijt, R.B. van der, Gent-Wagemakers, M.P.L. van, Beijaert, R.P.H., Wit, N.J. de, Ausems, M.G.E.M. Actively approaching women with a history of ovarian cancer for genetic counselling by GP, desirable and feasible? In: Abstractbook Ca-PRI the Cancer and Primary care Research International network Conference: Edinburg, 19th of April 2017.
Background
According to recent guidelines, genetic counselling and DNA testing is recommended to all women with ovarian cancer to optimally customize follow-up for them and their kin. Since previous guidelines did not advise referral for most of these women, the majority of ovarian cancer survivors remains deprived of adequate follow-up. We aim to assess the desirability and feasibility of two strategies directed at actively approaching women with a history of ovarian cancer for genetic counselling by their GP.
Methods
In both strategies, GPs and patients are provided with a short educational video addressing the new guideline.
The first strategy informs GPs of the new guideline and video by letter, and asks to identify relevant patients in their practice.
In the second strategy, beside the informational letter, GPs are offered information on which patients in their practice had ever been diagnosed with ovarian cancer based on the regularly extracted routine care data from their practices.
For each strategy, ‘Acceptable feasibility’ was defined as:
(1) ‘active follow-up of ovarian cancer patients by more than 25% of notified GPs’;
(2) ‘if over 50% of patients eligible for follow-up visit the clinical geneticist’.
Furthermore, feasibility and desirability was assessed using questionnaires sent to GPS and their ovarian cancer patients.
Results
Preliminary results indicate that both conditions for ‘acceptable feasibility’ were reached by both strategy, at 31% and 46% active follow-up by GPs for strategy one and two, respectively, and 71% and 63% compliance with the advice to visit a clinical geneticist. Both patients and GPs considered the strategies desirable, mainly because of the relevance and workability of the strategy. Technical obstacles were the most important barrier for strategy two.
Conclusions
Preliminary results indicate that actively approaching women with a history of ovarian cancer for genetic counselling by their GP seems desirable and feasible.
According to recent guidelines, genetic counselling and DNA testing is recommended to all women with ovarian cancer to optimally customize follow-up for them and their kin. Since previous guidelines did not advise referral for most of these women, the majority of ovarian cancer survivors remains deprived of adequate follow-up. We aim to assess the desirability and feasibility of two strategies directed at actively approaching women with a history of ovarian cancer for genetic counselling by their GP.
Methods
In both strategies, GPs and patients are provided with a short educational video addressing the new guideline.
The first strategy informs GPs of the new guideline and video by letter, and asks to identify relevant patients in their practice.
In the second strategy, beside the informational letter, GPs are offered information on which patients in their practice had ever been diagnosed with ovarian cancer based on the regularly extracted routine care data from their practices.
For each strategy, ‘Acceptable feasibility’ was defined as:
(1) ‘active follow-up of ovarian cancer patients by more than 25% of notified GPs’;
(2) ‘if over 50% of patients eligible for follow-up visit the clinical geneticist’.
Furthermore, feasibility and desirability was assessed using questionnaires sent to GPS and their ovarian cancer patients.
Results
Preliminary results indicate that both conditions for ‘acceptable feasibility’ were reached by both strategy, at 31% and 46% active follow-up by GPs for strategy one and two, respectively, and 71% and 63% compliance with the advice to visit a clinical geneticist. Both patients and GPs considered the strategies desirable, mainly because of the relevance and workability of the strategy. Technical obstacles were the most important barrier for strategy two.
Conclusions
Preliminary results indicate that actively approaching women with a history of ovarian cancer for genetic counselling by their GP seems desirable and feasible.