Breast Cancer Follow-Up: Primary Care vs Specialist Care
Author Information
Author(s): Grunfeld E, Gray A, Mant D, Yudkin P, Adewuyi-Dalton R, Coyle D, Cole D, Stewart J, Fitzpatrick R, Vessey M
Primary Institution: University of Oxford
Hypothesis
Does primary-care-centred follow-up for breast cancer patients lead to different outcomes compared to specialist-centred follow-up?
Conclusion
Primary-care follow-up for breast cancer patients does not delay recurrence diagnosis and is more cost-effective than specialist care.
Supporting Evidence
- The RCT found no difference in the primary clinical outcomes between primary care and specialist care.
- Costs to patients and the health service were lower in primary care.
- Process measures of quality of care were superior in primary care.
Takeaway
This study shows that seeing your regular doctor for breast cancer check-ups can be just as good as going to a specialist, and it can save money.
Methodology
A randomized controlled trial comparing follow-up care in primary care versus specialist care, along with an economic evaluation.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website