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How primary health care providers can integrate cancer prevention into practice
Author(s) -
Frame Paul S.,
Werth Paula L.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19930801)72:3+<1132::aid-cncr2820721331>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer prevention , health maintenance , health care , primary prevention , tracking (education) , flow chart , nursing , risk analysis (engineering) , cancer , psychology , pedagogy , disease , pathology , engineering drawing , engineering , economics , economic growth
Integrating prevention into practice is an important primary care challenge. Cancer prevention is a major part of this effort. In the past decade, concepts of selective longitudinal health maintenance have replaced the previous teaching that all adults should have a “complete annual physical.” Physician barriers to implementing prevention include: uncertainty about conflicting recommendations; uncertainty about the value of screening tests; disorganized medical records; delayed or indirect gratification from screening; and lack of time. The following practice strategies can help overcome these barriers: adopting a scientifically based minimum core of preventive procedures; clearly identifying responsibility for prevention; engaging the patient in the responsibility for prevention; and committing resources to institutionalize prevention in the practice. The manual health maintenance flow chart is the most common tool for facilitating health maintenance tracking; however, computerized systems are being developed. The advantages and disadvantages of both types of system are addressed. A model computerized health maintenance tracking system is presented.