Cancer
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Research has demonstrated that communication and care coordination improve cancer patient outcomes. To improve communication and care coordination, it is important to understand primary care providers' (PCPs') perceptions of communication with oncologists as well as PCPs' communication needs. ⋯ Although PCPs recognize that they play a critical, proactive role in supporting patients throughout the continuum of their cancer care experience, existing norms regarding postreferral engagement and oncologist-PCP communication often hinder activation of this role among PCPs. Expected standards regarding the method, frequency, and quality of postreferral communication should be jointly articulated and made accountable between PCPs and oncologists to help improve cancer patients' quality of care, particularly in minority communities.
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Increasing pressures to provide high-quality evidence-based cancer care have driven the rapid proliferation of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The quality and validity of CPGs have been questioned, and adherence to guidelines is relatively low. The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the development process and scientific content of CPGs. ⋯ There is significant variation in CPG development processes and scientific content. With conflicting recommendations between CPGs, there is no reliable resource to guide high-quality evidence-based cancer care. The quality and consistency of CPGs are in need of improvement.
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Please note that Table 1 and Table 2 were mistakenly inverted. The authors regret this error.
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In Table 1, the numbers for NHL should be 20(25%). In the legend for Figure 1, part (B) should read chronic GVHD is shown. The authors regret these errors.
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The authors discovered some errors regarding reference group labels in Table 2. The corrected table is attached. The authors regret these errors.