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. 2022 Nov 7;12(6):12-18.
doi: 10.55729/2000-9666.1126. eCollection 2022.

Evaluating Internal Medicine Residents' Awareness on Cancer Survivorship Care Plan: A Pilot Survey

Ivy Riano  1 , Hugo Pomares-Millan  2 , Klaorat Prasongdee  3 , Lauren Kiel  4 , Robin Park  3 , Narjust Florez  4
Affiliations

Evaluating Internal Medicine Residents' Awareness on Cancer Survivorship Care Plan: A Pilot Survey

Ivy Riano et al. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. .

Abstract

Introduction: Survivorship care plan (SCP) is a tool to improve communication between oncologists and primary care physicians. Internal medicine residency curricula are lacking training for cancer survivorship and SCPs. Here, we aimed to assess the awareness and utilization of SCPs in medicine trainees.

Methods: A pilot survey investigating awareness and experience with SCPs was distributed among internal medicine trainees in an outpatient setting. Participants were stratified by program type (transitional and categorical) and year of training. Differences in proportions were tested with parametric and non-parametric tests.

Results: All thirty-seven participants who were administered a survey responded; 32.4% and 67.6% were transitional and categorical trainees, respectively; 54% were PGY-1, 21.6% PGY-2, and 24.3% PGY-3. None of the trainees reported following a SCP for cancer-free patients nor plans to use SCP as a source to obtain information. Up to 78.3% and 92.6% of participants reported that they were not taught about SCPs during their residency or medical school, respectively. The most frequent barriers to discuss cancer history and SCP with their patients were: insufficient or lack of information about SCPs (83.8%), patients' information as a source deemed "unreliable" (81.1%), and uncertainty if the patient has SCP (81.1%).

Conclusions: Awareness and use of cancer SCPs among internal medicine trainees is limited, furthermore, a sizeable proportion reported not having accessed or received any training for SCPs. Efforts intended to facilitate SCP use and educate trainees about cancer survivorship may prove to be an effective strategy to increase the quality of care to cancer survivors.

Keywords: Cancer survivors; Internal medicine residency; Medical education; Primary care physicians; Survivorship care plan.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest Drs. Ivy Riano, Hugo Pomares-Millan, Klaorat Prasongdee, Lauren Kiel and Robin Park declare that they have no conflict of interest. Dr. Narjust Duma consulting and advisory for: Merck, Janssen, BMS, Pfizer, BI oncology, Neo-genomics Astrazeneca, Genentech and Nexus Oncology.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Perceived barriers to discuss about cancer history and/or survivorship care. SCP, survivorship care plan; EMR, electronic medical record.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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