Bthm. Palm et al., IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL CERVICAL-CANCER SCREENING IN GENERAL-PRACTICE AND FEASIBILITY OF A GENERAL PRACTICE-BASED CALL SYSTEM - THE GPS OPINION, Family practice, 10(2), 1993, pp. 173-177
Thus far, the response to the nationwide screening programme for cervi
cal cancer in The Netherlands, which was started in 1989, has been dis
appointing. One way to improve response is to involve general practiti
oners in the call system. A postal survey was conducted to review the
implementation of the current screening programme in general practice
and to examine the willingness of general practitioners to participate
in a general practice-based call system. The response rate to the sur
vey was 90%. The general practitioners were dissatisfied with follow-u
p, cost and time spent and compliance of women. Of all respondents 60%
had already set up a call system within the practice or were willing
to do so; another 31% were willing to participate in a regionally orga
nized practice-based call system. On the basis of the results of this
study a centralized general practice-based call system is recommended.
The next step is to study the applicability of this system in a pilot
programme.