%0 Journal Article %1 Harrise035678 %A Harris, Michael %A Brekke, Mette %A Dinant, Geert-Jan %A Esteva, Magdalena %A Hoffman, Robert %A Marzo-Castillejo, Mercè %A Murchie, Peter %A Neves, Ana Lu\'ısa %A Smyrnakis, Emmanouil %A Vedsted, Peter %A Aubin-Auger, Isabelle %A Azuri, Joseph %A Buczkowski, Krzysztof %A Buono, Nicola %A Foreva, Gergana %A Babić, Svjetlana Gasparović %A Jacob, Eva %A Koskela, Tuomas %A Petek, Davorina %A Ster, Marija Petek %A Puia, Aida %A Sawicka-Powierza, Jolanta %A Streit, Sven %A Thulesius, Hans %A Weltermann, Birgitta %A Taylor, Gordon %D 2020 %I British Medical Journal Publishing Group %J BMJ Open %K grapp-caib %N 10 %R 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035678 %T Primary care practitioners’ diagnostic action when the patient may have cancer: an exploratory vignette study in 20 European countries %U https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/10/e035678 %V 10 %X Objectives Cancer survival rates vary widely between European countries, with differences in timeliness of diagnosis thought to be one key reason. There is little evidence on the way in which different healthcare systems influence primary care practitioners’ (PCPs) referral decisions in patients who could have cancer.This study aimed to explore PCPs’ diagnostic actions (whether or not they perform a key diagnostic test and/or refer to a specialist) in patients with symptoms that could be due to cancer and how they vary across European countries.Design A primary care survey. PCPs were given vignettes describing patients with symptoms that could indicate cancer and asked how they would manage these patients. The likelihood of taking immediate diagnostic action (a diagnostic test and/or referral) in the different participating countries was analysed. Comparisons between the likelihood of taking immediate diagnostic action and physician characteristics were calculated.Setting Centres in 20 European countries with widely varying cancer survival rates.Participants A total of 2086 PCPs answered the survey question, with a median of 72 PCPs per country.Results PCPs’ likelihood of immediate diagnostic action at the first consultation varied from 50\% to 82\% between countries. PCPs who were more experienced were more likely to take immediate diagnostic action than their peers.Conclusion When given vignettes of patients with a low but significant possibility of cancer, more than half of PCPs across Europe would take diagnostic action, most often by ordering diagnostic tests. However, there are substantial between-country variations.

@article{Harrise035678, abstract = {Objectives Cancer survival rates vary widely between European countries, with differences in timeliness of diagnosis thought to be one key reason. There is little evidence on the way in which different healthcare systems influence primary care practitioners{\textquoteright} (PCPs) referral decisions in patients who could have cancer.This study aimed to explore PCPs{\textquoteright} diagnostic actions (whether or not they perform a key diagnostic test and/or refer to a specialist) in patients with symptoms that could be due to cancer and how they vary across European countries.Design A primary care survey. PCPs were given vignettes describing patients with symptoms that could indicate cancer and asked how they would manage these patients. The likelihood of taking immediate diagnostic action (a diagnostic test and/or referral) in the different participating countries was analysed. Comparisons between the likelihood of taking immediate diagnostic action and physician characteristics were calculated.Setting Centres in 20 European countries with widely varying cancer survival rates.Participants A total of 2086 PCPs answered the survey question, with a median of 72 PCPs per country.Results PCPs{\textquoteright} likelihood of immediate diagnostic action at the first consultation varied from 50\% to 82\% between countries. PCPs who were more experienced were more likely to take immediate diagnostic action than their peers.Conclusion When given vignettes of patients with a low but significant possibility of cancer, more than half of PCPs across Europe would take diagnostic action, most often by ordering diagnostic tests. However, there are substantial between-country variations.}, added-at = {2022-05-14T07:23:56.000+0200}, author = {Harris, Michael and Brekke, Mette and Dinant, Geert-Jan and Esteva, Magdalena and Hoffman, Robert and Marzo-Castillejo, Merc{\`e} and Murchie, Peter and Neves, Ana Lu{\'\i}sa and Smyrnakis, Emmanouil and Vedsted, Peter and Aubin-Auger, Isabelle and Azuri, Joseph and Buczkowski, Krzysztof and Buono, Nicola and Foreva, Gergana and Babi{\'c}, Svjetlana Ga{\v s}parovi{\'c} and Jacob, Eva and Koskela, Tuomas and Petek, Davorina and {\v S}ter, Marija Petek and Puia, Aida and Sawicka-Powierza, Jolanta and Streit, Sven and Thulesius, Hans and Weltermann, Birgitta and Taylor, Gordon}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2ed3e3a87f6af8a588d8879451ad13822/nachoricci}, description = {Primary care practitioners’ diagnostic action when the patient may have cancer: an exploratory vignette study in 20 European countries | BMJ Open}, doi = {10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035678}, elocation-id = {e035678}, eprint = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/10/e035678.full.pdf}, interhash = {635894c8d5fd5f4466c7b3d94013b22f}, intrahash = {ed3e3a87f6af8a588d8879451ad13822}, issn = {2044-6055}, journal = {BMJ Open}, keywords = {grapp-caib}, number = 10, publisher = {British Medical Journal Publishing Group}, timestamp = {2022-05-14T07:23:56.000+0200}, title = {Primary care practitioners{\textquoteright} diagnostic action when the patient may have cancer: an exploratory vignette study in 20 European countries}, url = {https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/10/e035678}, volume = 10, year = 2020 }