[Cross-sectorial cooperation regarding cancer patients in a recently started care program. Ideas and themes based on...

This study identified ideas for an improved collaboration between general practitioners and oncologists regarding patients with cancer. A qualitative research-method with focused group interviews was chosen. The results demonstrated that both oncologists and general practitioners would like the general practitioners to take more active part in the total care programme for cancer patients. Some of the needed improvements were more detailed referral letters including description of treatment plans, information about what the patient had been told and general information about the specific cancer disease. Both parts desire bilateral information exchange and a dialogue about the distribution of tasks. Both parts are willing to collaborate but this is at present restricted due to lack of knowledge of each others' working areas and the oncologists' impression that general practitioners need more medical knowledge regarding specific aspects of cancer. A randomized intervention study using ideas from this study may clarify if it is possible to improve the collaboration and thereby the cancer patients' satisfaction with care.