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Project

How to increase the involvement and participation of the general practitioner and patient in the discussion of the results of the multidisciplinary oncologic consult.

The treatment of cancer is becoming increasingly complex. Therefore, the importance of a multidisciplinary consultation increased over the past decades. In Belgium this consultation was formalized by the multidisciplinary oncology consultation (MOC). Every year more than 100,000 of this consultations were organized. This is undoubtedly a positive development. However, a recent report by the KCE revealed one big problem: the presence of the GP during this consultation is actually non-existent. Even though it was very wanted in the concept of the MOC, yet GPs are in less than 3% of the MOCS present. The GP is seen as the one who knows the patient best. Since there are no other representatives of the patient in the MOC, one can ask whether the consultation does not take too much crucial decisions over the head of the patient: decisions are taken without respecting the most important aspect of medicine, namely seeing the patient. The view of the patient ventilated by him or through an intermediary, should get the same weight as that of the specialists. This statement is the core of our research.

Since the MOC is a hard-won evolution in the treatment of cancer, we do not want it throw overboard. Since the MOC is quite technical, we let operate the MOC in the current way and we focus on its translation to the patient and the possibilities for the patient to make his own choice.

1)   In view of a real open consultation with the patient we want to investigate whether the decisions of the MOC can be formulated more open-ended and whether the specialists can agree with it: the various treatment options with their pros and cons should be formulated clearly.

2)  In connection with the possible treatment plans that are formulated in the MOC, a procedure must be found that allows that the final treatment option sufficiently takes into account the wishes of the patient in his psycho-social context. It is desirable that in this process, the patient, the treating specialist and the GP have their input. This procedure should allow that the various options are weighed with their advantages and disadvantages. Only then the treatment is finalized. The question is to what extent the patient, the general practitioner and the medical specialist find this a feasible and effective method for achieving an increased contribution of the preferences and expectations of the patient in the final treatment.

3) We also will examine how the patient in this new approach can best be supported in order to make a balanced decision and whether GP and medical specialist also need tools to make the best of this procedure.

4) Finally, a pilot study is conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed procedure(s) using the results from the objective 1 to 3.

 

Date:1 Jan 2017 →  31 Dec 2017
Keywords:huisarts, patiënt, resultaten MOC
Disciplines:Social psychology, Morphological sciences, Oncology