Aims:
Post-treatment outcomes for people with head and neck cancer (HNC) are complex, especially for those in rural areas. These patients face significant access issues due to distance and travel time to specialist oncology care. General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in addressing these challenges, providing holistic care, and supporting the survivorship of rural HNC patients. This study explored the perspectives of GPs in caring for people with HNC in the post-treatment survivorship phase.
Methods:
Semi-structured interviews with GPs in rural New South Wales, Australia, were conducted to explore their perspectives on caring for survivors of HNC. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic approach until data saturation.
Results:
Eleven GPs (mean age 58 years) with experience caring for survivors of HNC were interviewed. Most practiced in inner regional areas (n=7) and had over 20 years of clinical experience. Six key themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) treatment side effects, (2) financial burden (including out-of-pocket expenses for specialist consultations with high gap fees and travel-related expenses), (3) issues with access (e.g., limited availability of specialists and long waiting times), (4) follow-up care (e.g., importance of care coordination with specialists and involvement of general practice in long-term follow-up care), (5) scope for improvement (need for resources and funding allocation in Medicare for allied health care plan), and (6) GPs confidence in managing complex HNC patients.
Conclusions:
These findings provide crucial insights for policymakers to enhance survivorship care in rural Australia. Key recommendations include increasing Medicare funding to reduce gap fees, allocating resources to boost workforce recruitment (e.g., allied health professionals), and establishing specialist outreach clinics to ease travel burden. Implementing shared-care models and expanding telehealth services can also address long waiting times, ensuring more equitable access to care for survivors of HNC.