Table 2 Factors influencing the speed of cancer diagnosis
Factor | Delaying diagnosis | Facilitating diagnosis |
|---|---|---|
Patient | Need to travel to clinics in the capital may have financial and logistical implications for the patient and therefore lead to procrastination. | Patients in rural areas more likely to comply with GPs advice or attend appointments. |
Health professional | Different gender of GP may deter some patients from presenting with embarrassing symptoms that require intimate examination for diagnosis. | Greater continuity of care. Quality of doctor-patient relationship |
Task | Equivocal tests necessitate repeat visits to clinic. Inaccessible guidelines. | Some conditions can be managed by local GPs or by availability of local facilities. |
Team | Lack of coordination for individual patients' needs may result in inconvenient scheduling of appointments. Limited scope to obtain second opinions. | Excellent communication and local professional networks. |
Work Environment | Short consultations for multiple and undifferentiated medical complaints especially in older patients. | More comprehensive knowledge about the patient and the social context may be helpful in clinical assessment. |
Organisational | Access to specialists limited by distance from state capital. | Visiting specialists may reduce burden of travel for patient. |