Radiation therapy education for rural and remote GPs

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Education
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Radiation therapy (RT) is a critical cancer treatment modality.
• Rural and remote New South Wales (NSW) GPs face challenges supporting patients undergoing or completing RT due to limited resources.
• A need exists for accessible information for both healthcare professionals and patients in rural areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an electronic learning (e-learning) resource for NSW rural health professionals and patients on general RT.
• To provide GPs with specific information on managing radiation-induced skin reactions.
• To assess the information needs of rural GPs regarding radiation therapy patient care.

Main Methods:

• A needs assessment was conducted using a survey distributed to 1700 rural GPs across NSW.
• Survey development involved input from patients and clinicians.
• Data analysis was performed using SPSS software with descriptive statistics.

Main Results:

• A 22% response rate was achieved.
• 93.9% of responding GPs had cared for RT patients, with 76.7% reporting insufficient information.
• 96.1% of GPs expressed a need for information on acute and chronic radiation-induced skin reactions, with a preference for both hard copy and electronic formats.

Conclusions:

• Most surveyed GPs have experience with radiation therapy patients but lack adequate information and support resources.
• There is significant interest among rural GPs for an information and resource package to aid in patient care.
• The findings support the development of targeted e-learning resources for rural GPs and their patients.