General practitioners play a vital role in the care of a person during his lifespan. People who are healthy go to a general practitioner for treatment. Similarly, people who develop short-term illnesses first visit a general practitioner for treatment. General practitioners also coordinate the care of people who have chronic conditions. They develop long-term relationships with patients, which can be helpful in the early detection of cancer. So, one needs to continue seeing the general practitioner throughout their treatment. This is because of the following reasons.
1. They can explain and translate the information provided by an oncologist.
2. They provide emotional support during the treatment.
3. They communicate and coordinate with specialists.
cancer detection
Even before starting the cancer diagnosis, a GP/doctors in kellyville can provide the patient with counseling on the risks and good behaviors such as tobacco use, alcohol use, physical activity, etc. Patients can protect themselves from certain types of cancer by getting GP-recommended vaccinations such as hepatitis B. General practitioners may also recommend medicines that can help reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer.
They also do cancer screening by coordinating laboratory tests such as PAT tests. They may also recommend other screening tests based on age, sex, and family background. In the first phase of the care, they may guide the patient to cancer specialists. However, during cancer treatment, the role of the general practitioner becomes more complex. They help patients manage their non-cancer-related issues and emphasize them on living a healthy life. During the cancer treatment, general practitioners keep supporting the patient with their health care needs. However, you need to note that general practitioners may not provide you with all the cancer-related care. So, ensure you build a healthy relationship with the cancer care team.
Some ways that can help you build a strong relationship with your general practitioner are as follows.
1. Find a reliable general practitioner
If you haven’t established a relationship with a general practitioner or want to change your general practitioner, the best is to ask for referrals from the oncology team. You can also ask for referrals from your family and friends.
General practitioners and cancer care teams on the same system will benefit you in a lot of ways. They can share your records, see your imaging reports, and other things. This will prevent any miscommunication between your general practitioner and the cancer care team.
2. Request your cancer care team to copy on notes
Even with a shared electronic health system, the general practitioner may not get all the information from the cancer care team, so request your oncologist to share all the notes, updates, and details with the general practitioner or primary care physician. But, also remember that sometimes the information between your oncology team and general practitioner can be delayed, even if you tell them to copy notes because some rely on fax or mail for sending information.
3. Take the help of online portals
Patients can get access to their image results, appointment notes, and other test results from electronic health records. They will keep you informed about your care. You can read the notes given by GP/doctors in liverpool. And ask any questions regarding your treatment. Also, keep in contact with the general practitioner even if the oncology team is providing you with regular follow-ups.
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