Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2023
Older patients' experiences of access to and use of e-consultations with the general practitioner in Norway: an interview study.
To explore older patients' experiences with accessing and using e-consultations to send text-based clinical inquiries to the general practitioner (GP) online. ⋯ Information about e-consultations and guidelines for suitable use are recommended to ensure equal access to all patients, regardless of their digital health literacy. Availability problems and high work burdens for the GPs could affect the patients' choice for using e-consultations. If e-consultations are used for triage purposes, caution should be taken to avoid a shift in workload from the health secretary to the GP.Key points of articleThe extended use of e-consultations with the general practitioner has raised concerns that the service may not be accessible and suitable for older patients.For older users, e-consultations can represent a positive addition to physical consultation forms due to the high availability of the service in a general practice setting characterised by long waiting times.Digital health literacy is essential to learn about and use the service. Information about the service and how to use it should be available to all patients to ensure equal access.A trusting relationship with the GP is described as essential for older patients to perceive the outcome of e-consultations as appropriate and safe.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2023
The role of primary care in the cancer care continuum: a qualitative study of cancer survivors' experiences.
To explore how cancer survivors have experienced their contacts with primary care after being diagnosed with cancer, focusing on the integration between cancer specialist and primary care, and participants' views on what could make primary care services better at catering to the needs of cancer survivors. ⋯ The study suggests that cancer survivors experience a range of issues that hinders primary care services from playing a productive role in the cancer care process. The results speak for a need for interventions to remove barriers to satisfactory primary care contacts in this group of patients.KEY POINTSThe growing number of cancer survivors highlights the role of primary care services in the cancer care continuum.Despite the presence of unmet needs, few cancer survivors felt that primary care services had been significant to their care.Survivors identified a number of barriers to satisfactory primary care, including lacking coordination and communication between cancer and primary care.Strengthened links between healthcare services, privileged access, and holistic perspectives were suggested to improve primary care delivery for cancer survivors.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2023
'Illuminating determinants of implementation of non-dispensing pharmacist services in home care: a qualitative interview study'.
Medication errors are leading causes of hospitalization and death in western countries and WHO encourages health care providers to implement non-dispensing pharmacist services in primary care to improve medication work. However, these services struggle to provide any impact on clinical outcomes. We wanted to explore health care professionals' views on medication work to illuminate determinants of the implementation success. The research was designed to inform and adapt implementation strategies for non-dispensing pharmacist services. ⋯ Our study provided information on contextual elements that influence the implementation process of non-dispensing pharmacist services. Awareness of these factors can help develop strategies to help the organization succeed in in achieving program outcomes.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2023
Danish general practitioners as gatekeepers for gynaecological patients in regions with different density of resident specialists in gynaecology: in which situations and to whom do they refer? A cross-sectional study.
There are large differences in the density of Resident Specialists in Gynaecology (RSG) in the various regions of Denmark. It is unknown if this inequality affects the General Practitioner (GP) referral patterns of gynaecological patients. ⋯ To allow patients' equal access to specialist care, the density of RSGs must be equal all over the country.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2023
Management of child maltreatment suspicions in general practice: a mixed methods study.
Maltreated children have many long-term consequences throughout their lives, but often maltreated children are not recognised in time by professionals. General practice could be central to the early recognition of child maltreatment due to the long-term relationship with families. ⋯ General practice has an opportunity to act early in cases of suspected child maltreatment if uncertainty is accepted as a critical part of the process of reaching a diagnosis. Communication across sectors is key, as is support for GPs with suspicions and for families in need of help.Key pointsGPs are often thought to underreport child maltreatment but despite low levels of reporting, this does not mean they ignore it.Building on the connection with the family, making follow appointments, and discussing suspicions with colleagues are typical of how GPs manage suspicions of child abuse.Accepting uncertainty as a condition of raising the alarm could help GPs to act quickly to support children at risk of abuse.