Background - In Australia, a specialist led model of care currently predominates for survivorship care. Given the increasing number of cancer survivors, this model of care may become unsustainable and may not represent the most efficient use of specialist time. A GP-led Survivorship Program for colorectal cancer was developed at Royal Perth Hospital in 2020 for patients who have medium to high risk colorectal cancer and have completed their adjuvant treatment.
Aim - To gather feedback from patients on their experience with our GP led colorectal cancer survivorship clinic. This information will be used to refine our department's approach to care delivery and explore the possibility of offering similar clinics for other cancer survivors. This aligns with the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards of Clinical Governance, Partnering with Consumers and Comprehensive Care.
Method - Colorectal cancer survivors who had an appointment with the GP from January 2023 to December 2023 were chosen to receive the survey. In early 2024, an SMS with a link to the survey was sent to 195 patients with a reminder sent a fortnight later. The survey involved 20 questions to capture patient demographics and patient satisfaction. Patients answered multichoice questions as well as free text.
Conclusion - Eighty-three (83) surveys were submitted. Most participants (85%) found the service to be good or very good. One (1) percent of patients reported the service to be very poor, while four (4) percent were ambivalent. A majority (95%) reported the GP listens to the patients views and concerns and 100% reported that their investigations were performed on time. This survey has shown that patients are satisfied with the GP-led survivorship program and derive benefit from it. It seems to be valid alternative to specialist led programs.