Nurse-Led Phone Call Follow-Up Clinics Are Effective for Patients With Prostate Cancer.

Area of Science:

• Oncology Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Care Services

Background:

• Rising healthcare costs necessitate innovative resource utilization strategies.
• Nurse-led models offer potential solutions for efficient care delivery.
• Prostate cancer management requires effective and accessible follow-up services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and patient satisfaction of a nurse-led telephone follow-up service for stable prostate cancer.
• To assess the efficiency and patient preference for remote versus in-person follow-up care.

Main Methods:

• 815 patients with stable prostate cancer were enrolled in a 10-year nurse-led telephone follow-up program.
• A postal questionnaire assessed patient satisfaction with the service.
• Data collected included service convenience, information delivery, and patient preference.

Main Results:

• Over 10 years, 815 patients received 3683 phone follow-ups.
• The majority of patients (87.2%) found the service convenient and preferred it over outpatient visits (95.3%).
• High satisfaction was reported regarding information provided (75.6%) and reassurance (53.5%).

Conclusions:

• Nurse-led telephone follow-up is a viable, high-volume service model for prostate cancer care.
• The service achieves high patient satisfaction, offering convenience and cost-effectiveness.
• This innovative approach demonstrates successful service development in managing stable prostate cancer.