A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the number of patients is steadily increasing. In skin cancer care, greater interdisciplinary cooperation is required for prevention, early detection, and new complex systemic therapies. However, the implementation of innovative medical car...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Current Oncology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/29/4/212 |
| _version_ | 1797436196552441856 |
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| author | Josephine Mathiebe Lydia Reinhardt Maike Bergmann Marina Lindauer Alina Herrmann Cristin Strasser Friedegund Meier Jochen Schmitt |
| author_facet | Josephine Mathiebe Lydia Reinhardt Maike Bergmann Marina Lindauer Alina Herrmann Cristin Strasser Friedegund Meier Jochen Schmitt |
| author_sort | Josephine Mathiebe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the number of patients is steadily increasing. In skin cancer care, greater interdisciplinary cooperation is required for prevention, early detection, and new complex systemic therapies. However, the implementation of innovative medical care is a major challenge, especially for rural regions with an older than average, multimorbid population, with limited mobility, that are long distances from medical facilities. Solutions are necessary to ensure comprehensive oncological care in rural regions. The aim of this study was to identify indicators to establish a regional care network for integrated skin cancer care. To capture the perspectives of different stakeholder groups, we conducted two focus groups with twenty skin cancer patients and their relatives, a workshop with eight physicians, and three semi-structured interviews with health insurance company representatives. Qualitative data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed following Mayring’s content analysis methods. We generated ten categories based on the reported optimization potentials; five categories were assigned to all three stakeholder groups: Prevention and early diagnosis, accessibility of physicians/clinics, physicians’ resources, care provider’s responsibilities, and information exchange. The results indicate the need for stronger integration of care in the region. They provide the basis for regional networking as, for example, the conception of treatment pathways or telemedicine with the aim to improve a comprehensive skin cancer care. Our study should raise awareness and postulate as a demand that all patients receive guideline-based therapy, regardless of where they live. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:58:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5cdaa7f72c84477ba9939d33cce89d6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1198-0052 1718-7729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:58:10Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-5cdaa7f72c84477ba9939d33cce89d6e2023-12-01T01:27:21ZengMDPI AGCurrent Oncology1198-00521718-77292022-04-012942583259810.3390/curroncol29040212A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, GermanyJosephine Mathiebe0Lydia Reinhardt1Maike Bergmann2Marina Lindauer3Alina Herrmann4Cristin Strasser5Friedegund Meier6Jochen Schmitt7Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanySkin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Center and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanySkin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Center and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanyStudy Office Medical Oncology, Medical Department I, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanyCenter for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanySkin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Center and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanySkin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Center and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanyCenter for Evidence-Based Healthcare, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus and Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, GermanySkin cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the number of patients is steadily increasing. In skin cancer care, greater interdisciplinary cooperation is required for prevention, early detection, and new complex systemic therapies. However, the implementation of innovative medical care is a major challenge, especially for rural regions with an older than average, multimorbid population, with limited mobility, that are long distances from medical facilities. Solutions are necessary to ensure comprehensive oncological care in rural regions. The aim of this study was to identify indicators to establish a regional care network for integrated skin cancer care. To capture the perspectives of different stakeholder groups, we conducted two focus groups with twenty skin cancer patients and their relatives, a workshop with eight physicians, and three semi-structured interviews with health insurance company representatives. Qualitative data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed following Mayring’s content analysis methods. We generated ten categories based on the reported optimization potentials; five categories were assigned to all three stakeholder groups: Prevention and early diagnosis, accessibility of physicians/clinics, physicians’ resources, care provider’s responsibilities, and information exchange. The results indicate the need for stronger integration of care in the region. They provide the basis for regional networking as, for example, the conception of treatment pathways or telemedicine with the aim to improve a comprehensive skin cancer care. Our study should raise awareness and postulate as a demand that all patients receive guideline-based therapy, regardless of where they live.https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/29/4/212skin cancermelanomaintersectoral collaborationqualitative researchregional care networkrural health service |
| spellingShingle | Josephine Mathiebe Lydia Reinhardt Maike Bergmann Marina Lindauer Alina Herrmann Cristin Strasser Friedegund Meier Jochen Schmitt A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany Current Oncology skin cancer melanoma intersectoral collaboration qualitative research regional care network rural health service |
| title | A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany |
| title_full | A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany |
| title_fullStr | A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany |
| title_short | A Qualitative Needs Analysis of Skin Cancer Care from the Perspectives of Patients, Physicians, and Health Insurance Representatives—A Case Study from Eastern Saxony, Germany |
| title_sort | qualitative needs analysis of skin cancer care from the perspectives of patients physicians and health insurance representatives a case study from eastern saxony germany |
| topic | skin cancer melanoma intersectoral collaboration qualitative research regional care network rural health service |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/29/4/212 |
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