The effects of structured follow-up from primary care for patients during their cancer journey. A randomized controlled trial.

Health care professionals and patients advocate transfer of care and follow-up from secondary to primary care in the Netherlands, due to the increase in the number of chronic cancer patients, cancer incidence and improving outcomes of cancer therapy and expanding possibilities for personalized cancer care. However, the effectiveness of structured patient follow-up form primary care during the cancer journey has not been studied yet. Therefore, the GRIP study, a multicenter randomized controlled two-arm trial, evaluates the effects of structured follow-up care form diagnosis, for cancer patients provided from primary care on healthcare utilization and patient satisfaction with care.

Country of recruitment: The Netherlands

Structured follow-up from primary care will effect patients‘ satisfaction with care and health care utilisation.

1) Time Out consultation with the GP after diagnosis and before final treatment decision.

2) Contact with HON during and after treatment, at least 3 contacts.

3) Questionnaires will be send at the moment of consensus for participation (T0), two weeks after inclusion (T1), three months after inclusion (T2), six months after inclusion (T3), nine months after inclusion (T4) and twelve months after inclusion (T5).

Timing of T3-T5 depends on duration of therapy. T5 will always be send 3 months after end of therapy.

1) Time out consultation with general practitioner

2) Home visits by Homecare Oncology Nurse