General practitioners and medical oncologists in the management of patients with cancer: An Italian national programme initiated with the CIPOMO DAY 2022

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: General Practitioners (GPs) play an important role in providing care to cancer patients; however, this role is not yet well defined. This study analyzed the propensity of GPs to actively participate in various aspects of cancer patient management in collaboration with oncologists. Methods: The Italian Association of Head Physicians in Oncology Departments (CIPOMO), in collaboration with the Italian Federation of Medical Associations (FNOMCeO), created macro-regional working groups composed of GPs and a CIPOMO coordinator for each Italian region. During the CIPOMO DAY 2022, these groups analyzed “simultaneous care”, “palliative care”, and “long-living/cured patients”. Results: Challenges and needs arose during the discussion on “simultaneous care”, such as the importance of proper health education for patients and caregivers, as well as effective communication between doctors and other healthcare professionals. The “palliative care” roundtable discussed concerns about the transition from early to end-of-life palliative care. In the third roundtable, GPs expressed a willingness to participate in the management of both long-living and cured patients. Conclusions: CIPOMO DAY 2022 was a useful event for identifying the obstacles related to the integration between GPs and hospital specialists. The hospital-territory transition appears feasible and we identified the necessary measures to implement it.