BMC primary care最新文献

{"title":"Strengthening primary care with the world health organization's basic package of interventions for rehabilitation: developing a list of interventions and a clinical resource.","authors":"Abena Tannor, Dima Touhami, Antony Duttine, Alexandra Rauch, Pauline Kleinitz, Elanie Marks, Alarcos Cieza, Carla Sabariego","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03479-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03479-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Access to rehabilitation, a critical component of universal health coverage (UHC) remains limited, particularly in primary care (PC) and low-resource settings. To address this gap, the WHO Rehabilitation Programme developed the Basic Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (Basic PIR). This toolkit is designed to empower PC non-rehabilitation workers to deliver a prioritised set of easy, safe and effective rehabilitation interventions through task-sharing. This article describes the participatory process used to develop the WHO's Basic PIR, specifically its list of interventions and guiding clinical resource.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The development of the Basic PIR utilized a three-phase participatory methodology. In Phase 1, interventions were extracted from the WHO's Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation (PIR) using feasibility criteria and prioritised via a two-stage modified Delphi process with an international Technical Working Group. Phase 2 structured these interventions into clinical targets by adapting existing WHO task-sharing frameworks and clinical practice guidelines. In Phase 3, the prototype resource was field-tested during 5-day training sessions with PC workers in Ghana and Fiji, using qualitative group discussions to evaluate usability and guide final structural revisions. This participatory process was coordinated by a five-member WHO Rehabilitation Programme internal review panel to optimize the tool for PC and low-resource settings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In Phase 1, thirteen functioning domains related to health conditions were identified, leading to the preselection of 188 out of 297 interventions for rehabilitation from the WHO's Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation, with 71 interventions ultimately included in the Basic PIR. In Phase 2, a prototype clinical resource with eight functioning domains and corresponding intervention targets was created. The preliminary field tests in Phase 3 resulted in specific modifications, including the revision of rehabilitation steps and the development of new patient handouts to improve usability and clarity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>By promoting a functioning-based approach, the Basic PIR aims to improve access to rehabilitation services in primary care and low-resource settings, which has the potential to contribute to the achievement of UHC. Future pilot studies will evaluate its feasibility and acceptability, guiding its broader implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13673863/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149198260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"General practitioners' involvement in oncological aftercare (ACTION): a study protocol for a mixed-methods study.","authors":"Katharina van Baal, Stephanie Stiel, Svenja Arendt, Catharina Münte, Malte Klemmt","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03603-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03603-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The growing number of cancer survivors in Germany necessitates sustainable, interdisciplinary aftercare. General practitioners (GPs) are well-positioned to provide long-term, trust-based support, including early detection of recurrences and late effects. However, evidence on the level of GP involvement in oncological aftercare, on interdisciplinary aftercare models involving GPs and specialists, and on associated barriers and facilitators remains limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The project \"general practitioners' involvement in oncological aftercare\" (ACTION; funded by the German Cancer Aid; grant number 70116960) will employ a mixed-methods approach across two phases. In phase 1, experiences with GPs involvement in oncological aftercare will be examined. Therefore, routine data from the AOK Lower Saxony and the Lower Saxony Cancer Registry will be analysed retrospectively (WP1a), supplemented by surveys of GPs (WP1b) and oncologists (WP1c), and qualitative interviews with patients (WP1d). Phase 2 will then build on the results from phase 1 to develop and agree on recommendations for GP involvement in oncological aftercare. An expert workshop will aim to develop structured recommendations for enhanced GP involvement (WP2a), which are refined via a Delphi consensus process (WP2b).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The ACTION project will generate new insights into the involvement of GPs in oncological aftercare and contribute to adequately addressing future challenges in patient care. It will stimulate the empirically supported development and implementation of interdisciplinary aftercare models in clinical practice and has thus the chance to improve the long-term care of cancer survivors in Germany.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>The study was registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien; DRKS00040034; date of registration: 11 May 2026).</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13670826/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149186144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Primary healthcare providers' strategies of handling patients presenting with potential cancer symptoms following the introduction of standardized cancer patient pathways in Sweden.","authors":"Petter Fjällström, Anna-Britt Coe, Mikael Lilja, Senada Hajdarevic","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03600-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03600-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Early cancer diagnosis is a healthcare priority, but identifying patients who may have cancer remains challenging because alarm symptoms are often non-specific and may also indicate other conditions. To facilitate timely cancer diagnosis, standardized cancer patient pathways (CPP) have been introduced in several health systems, including Sweden. Since most patients diagnosed with cancer begin their pathway in primary healthcare (PHC), nurses and physicians play a central role in assessing symptoms and determining whether CPP criteria for suspected cancer are fulfilled. Although research concerning the introduction of CPPs is expanding, knowledge is lacking on how CPPs influence Swedish PHC nurses' and physicians' ways of handling patients with potential cancer symptoms. Therefore, this study aimed to explore PHC providers' strategies of using CPPs when handling patients presenting symptoms that may indicate cancer.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A constructivist Grounded Theory Method was utilized to collect and analyze qualitative data through group interviews in PHC units in northern Sweden. Six units were included, and nine group interviews were conducted from March to November 2019, involving 21 nurses and 20 physicians. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results showed a process of handling challenges and opportunities when suspecting cancer in PHC and using CPPs through three categories focusing on strategies. First, physicians and nurses prioritized patients' needs of urgent care through conviction by using their professional competence to assess symptoms, rather than strictly relying on the symptom descriptions outlined in CPPs, with nurses primarily identifying these symptoms. Second, while physicians used creative strategies to make CPP referrals work for patients whose symptoms did not align with the templates, nurses similarly used creative strategies to raise suspicions and facilitate further assessment despite the absence of clear alarm symptoms. Third, physicians and nurses sensitively informed patients about CPPs, balancing between explaining the next investigation steps and safeguarding potential illness-related anxiety by avoiding the discussion as much as possible.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings highlight the important role of PHC providers in using CPPs for patients with potential cancer by identifying symptoms, investigating suspicions, and sensitively informing patients. CPPs were perceived as facilitating faster cancer diagnostic pathways when they aligned with PHC providers' clinical assessments, but challenges arose when clinical assessments misalign with predetermined standardized packages. These findings indicate the importance of involving PHC providers in refining CPP usage. Furthermore, communicating clearly about potential cancer diagnoses is necessary, but not as simple as it may seem.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13670806/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149186386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Here it is everything at once: a qualitative study of district nurses' experiences caring for older individuals with multiple chronic health problems in primary care.","authors":"Annica Lagerin, Elisabeth Bos Sparén, Caroline Wachtler","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03574-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03574-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over the next 10-year period in Sweden, the number of people aged 80 and older is will increase by about 50%. The care needs of the population are changing as more people live at home longer with chronic conditions. District nurses in primary care often have the first contact with patients of all ages and are especially involved in care of older individuals with multiple chronic conditions, common mental health problems, and complex care needs. Understanding how district nurses currently see their work with older people with complex multimorbidity is a key step in developing new models of primary care to support older individuals with complex multimorbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate district nurses' experiences of caring for older adults with multiple chronic conditions and how they think care be improved for this group.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a qualitative study of individual and focus group interviews made with fifteen district nurses working at five primary care centers in the Stockholm Region, Sweden. Data was analyzed using reflective thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We generated one central theme, Ready to take responsibility if there is room for complexity and four subthemes: Seeing the complex patient as a coherent and whole person; Competent to take responsibility for patient needs.; Primary care can't say no, so DNs find solutions when cooperation is lacking; DN competencies must be visible, well-defined and have boundaries.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>DNs feel competent to identify and address individual needs for older people with multiple chronic conditions and common mental health problems and ready to take responsibility for patient's needs, if they have the time, support and structure needed to address complexity with this patient group.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13670652/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149186167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Point-of-care ultrasound in German general practice: a qualitative study of opportunities and barriers.","authors":"Mareike Ledigen, Anja Wollny, Christin Löffler, Til Uebel, Emil C Reisinger, Gregor Feldmeier","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03585-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03585-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>International studies show that point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is increasingly being used in primary care settings and can improve diagnostic decision-making. Particularly in the field of general practice, which is characterised by a lower prevalence of severe diseases, the use of POCUS may facilitate patient history-taking and diagnosis in a more targeted and efficient manner. This study aims to investigate how German general practitioners (GPs) perceive the clinical benefits, barriers, and implementation of conventional ultrasound use to date, as well as the benefit, barriers, and implementation requirements of POCUS in primary care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Between March and June 2023, two focus groups (FGs) were held at each of two locations (in Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) as part of general practice quality circles. Using a convenience sample, each of the four FGs included between five and eight GPs. Semi-structured FGs were transcribed and anonymised. Using Mayring's inductive content analysis method, two researchers analysed the FGs. The aim was to develop and identify new hypotheses and unexpected themes shedding light on both perspectives regarding the practical benefit and structural challenges of conventional ultrasound, as well as the potential of and barriers to the use of POCUS in general practice.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From the participants' perspective, ultrasound has proven to be extremely relevant in everyday general practice. However, existing reimbursement frameworks and training requirements were perceived as significant barriers. The participants considered the implementation of POCUS in primary care as an opportunity to lower these barriers, improve diagnostic processes, and strengthen GPs' skills.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings make it clear that the use of ultrasound currently depends largely on the individual commitment of GPs - in terms of the time involved and the financial resources required. However, it is also clear that POCUS could offer the potential to improve the conditions for the use of ultrasound in GP practices. In this way, the introduction of POCUS may improve diagnostic workflows and their accessibility in primary care.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13670600/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149186178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Which aspects of continuity of care in primary care are associated with better self-rated health? A cross-sectional study among older adults in Berlin.","authors":"Yana Zhou, Marie Bolster, Denis Gerstorf, Raphael Kohl, Dagmar Haase, Manuel Wolff, Angelique Chan, Paul Gellert, Wolfram J Herrmann","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03566-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03566-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Global population ageing and rapid urbanization are increasing the prevalence of multimorbidity and complex health needs among older adults, emphasizing the importance of accessible and high-quality primary care. Continuity of care (CoC) is a core feature of person-centered primary care and has been linked to improved health outcomes, reduced mortality, and lower health care utilization. While general use of primary care has been associated with better self-rated health, evidence on the specific role of continuity of primary care remains limited. This study examined the association between CoC in primary care and self-rated health among adults aged 65 years and older living in three neighborhoods in Berlin, Germany.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cross-sectional data were drawn from the baseline survey of the Ageing Well study (December 2023 - June 2024, December 2024 - June 2025) in Berlin. 837 participants completed standardized face-to-face interviews. CoC was assessed by duration of care at a general practitioner's practice and duration of care with the same general practitioner. Self-rated health was measured using a single-item five-point scale. Linear regression models were fitted, adjusting for age, gender, subjective social status, lifetime morbidity, symptoms of depression, and anxiety. Missing data were addressed using listwise deletion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most participants reported a general practitioner as their usual care site (84.7%), and self-rated health was most frequently rated as good (41.6%). Continuity with a general practitioner was positively associated with self-rated health, although the magnitude of the association was small (b = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.002-0.015). Lifetime morbidity explained the largest proportion of unique variance in self-rated health. Depressive symptoms were associated with poorer self-rated health, while higher subjective social status was associated with better self-rated health.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The association between CoC and self-rated health was small. These findings suggest that commonly used patient-reported outcomes may not adequately capture the effects of CoC in older adults. Future research should therefore consider more sensitive and process-oriented outcome measures to better capture the impact of CoC.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>German Register for Clinical Studies (DRKS) (DRKS00033043, registered 16 November 2023); part of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP), https://www.drks.de .</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13602587/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149042292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reclassification of office blood pressure categories according to the 2024 European Society of Cardiology guidelines and its implications for clinical practice in primary care: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"İsmail Çifçi, Esra Meltem Koç","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03553-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03553-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The 2024 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines retained the diagnostic threshold for hypertension (≥ 140/90 mmHg) but revised the classification of office blood pressure (BP) values below this threshold and introduced a risk-based management strategy. However, there are limited data regarding the impact of these changes on primary care practice.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>The aim of this study was to evaluate the reclassification of office BP categories among primary care patients according to the 2024 ESC guidelines for elevated BP and hypertension, and to assess achievement of target BP based on these revised targets.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective cross-sectional study included 882 individuals aged 18 years or older registered at a family health center (FHC) in Izmir. Participants were classified according to the 2018 ESC/European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and 2024 ESC criteria. Cardiovascular risk was determined using the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation 2 (SCORE2) and SCORE2-Older Persons (SCORE2-OP) algorithms. The primary endpoint was the change in office BP classification, and the secondary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving the BP target.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 29.5% of the participants had hypertension. Under the 2018 ESC/ESH guidelines, 70.5% of individuals had optimal, normal, or high-normal office BP, whereas under the 2024 ESC guidelines, only 17.1% had non-elevated BP. Applying the 2024 criteria, 53.4% of all participants were placed in the elevated BP group, with 75.7% of individuals previously considered below the hypertension threshold reclassified into this group. The proportion of treated patients achieving the prespecified BP target decreased from 53.5% under the 2018 ESC/ESH criteria to 30.8% under the 2024 ESC framework.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Applying the 2024 ESC office BP criteria reclassified more than half of our participants into the newly defined \"elevated BP\" group. This update could influence daily clinical practice by changing how clinicians determine which patients require closer assessment, ongoing follow-up, and treatment to achieve target BP.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13640106/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149119270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long-term telephone follow-up of older adults attending a smoking cessation clinic in Türkiye: a retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Fatma Gökşin Cihan, Hatice Küçükceran, Nur Demirbas, Aynur Yalçıntaş","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03550-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03550-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Smoking cessation remains beneficial in later life, yet long-term information on smoking status and cessation experiences among older adults attending smoking cessation services is limited. This study descriptively evaluated long-term smoking status and cessation experiences in older adults previously attending a smoking cessation clinic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used a retrospectively identified cohort with a one-time long-term telephone outcome assessment. Medical records of adults aged ≥ 60 years who attended a smoking cessation outpatient clinic between January 2015 and March 2020 were reviewed, and telephone follow-up was conducted in October 2024, approximately 4.6-9.8 years after clinic attendance. The primary outcome was self-reported smoking status at interview. Recorded treatment modality reflected the treatment plan documented at baseline; medication initiation, duration, and adherence were not available. Multivariable analyses were exploratory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 297 eligible participants, 26 (8.8%) were recorded as deceased. Among the remaining 271 participants, 97 (35.8%) were interviewed. Of these 97 respondents, 35 (36.1%) reported that they were not currently smoking at interview, representing a respondent-only estimate. Under extreme-case assumptions for the 174 non-contacted participants, the proportion not currently smoking ranged from 12.9% to 77.1%. Forty-three respondents (44.3%) reported a longest smoking-free period of ≥ 12 months, although its timing relative to follow-up was unknown. No robust association between recorded treatment modality and smoking status was identified: the overall respondent-only model was not statistically significant, and the treatment-modality association was not retained in the extreme-case sensitivity analysis. Among the 62 respondents currently smoking, 50 (80.6%) expressed willingness to receive support for another quit attempt.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Long-term smoking-status estimates were substantially limited by loss to follow-up and should be interpreted as respondent-only findings rather than as an abstinence rate for the original cohort. The treatment-modality analyses were exploratory and do not support comparative treatment-effectiveness conclusions. The high willingness to attempt quitting again among respondents who were still smoking highlights the potential for continued re-engagement with cessation care in later life.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13584357/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148992697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the gap in Long COVID care: identifying core competencies for primary care curriculum development and evaluation.","authors":"Rachel E Geyer, Kristen M O'Loughlin, Cassie Theobald, Donovan Rivera, Jessica Bender, Anita Chopra, Janna Friedly, Nicole L Gentile","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03537-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03537-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is an unmet need for Long COVID care within our healthcare system. Primary care clinicians (PCPs) face challenges in providing effective care due to limited relevant Long COVID training and lack of standardized clinical resources. Pre-CME (continuing medical education) survey data indicates that 62% of clinicians experience difficulty diagnosing and managing Long COVID. There is a need for competency-based curricula to equip PCPs with tools for interdisciplinary, patient-centered care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods Delphi needs assessment process was designed to gather stakeholder input to guide the development of Long COVID core competencies. Participants were recruited through word of mouth and completed a 30-minute survey on barriers and facilitators for Long COVID care, case scenarios, and topic preferences. They also participated in a 1-hour Zoom focus group using an unstructured question guide to review survey responses, which were then examined with summary templates and a matrix analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study enrolled 26 participants, 21 of whom also participated in focus groups. Areas of convergence and divergence in participant perspectives were used to inform development of core competencies that ultimately could be categorized in alignment with the six competency-based domains defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study establishes a consensus-based framework of competencies for PCPs managing Long COVID, reflecting the condition's evolving nature and the importance of continuous, relationship-centered care. Implementing these competencies in training and professional development can enhance care quality, standardize practices, and improve outcomes for patients facing complex, multisystem health challenges.</p><p><strong>Prior presentations: </strong>Poster of findings presented at the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) conference on November 24, 2025, in Atlanta, GA, USA.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13644258/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149129482","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of general practitioners in German cancer care: a scoping review.","authors":"Anne Werner, Julia Katzur, Anne Schrimpf, Jutta Bleidorn, Markus Bleckwenn","doi":"10.1186/s12875-026-03541-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-026-03541-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>General practitioners (GPs) play an important role in the care of patients with cancer across the entire cancer continuum, from diagnosis to palliative care. Despite their broad range of responsibilities, structures to facilitate the systematic involvement of GPs into cancer care remain insufficient in Germany. To date, the specific role and contribution of GPs within the German cancer care system have not been comprehensively synthesized.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This scoping review aimed to summarize the available evidence on GP involvement in cancer care in Germany, including their roles across the cancer trajectory, collaboration with other healthcare providers, and barriers and needs affecting their participation in cancer care.</p><p><strong>Study selection and analysis: </strong>A scoping review was conducted according to Arksey & O'Malley. The search was conducted on 2 January 2024 in the databases Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and Web of Science. Eligible studies examined the role of GPs in the care of patients with cancer or long-term cancer survivors in Germany. Extracted review's domains (GPs' roles and responsibilities, collaboration, needs) were derived from an exploratory literature search and a GP advisory board. Findings were synthesized narratively. Studies published before 2008 were excluded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The search yielded 646 hits, of which 71 could be included in the full-text screening and 24 in the data extraction. GPs are involved in all phases of cancer care, including diagnosis, active treatment, follow-up care, and palliative care. GPs as \"persons of trust\" and experts in counselling, provide patient-centered cancer care and emotional support. GPs collaborate with other healthcare providers, but are rarely involved in specific treatment decisions. Deficiencies in communication, information exchange, and role clarification were identified. GPs expressed a need for greater involvement and better information through informal, bidirectional communication with various stakeholders in the oncology healthcare sector. Evidence on GP involvement in survivorship care and the management of comorbidities in patients with cancer was limited.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Efficient structures for information exchange and knowledge transfer between GPs and other healthcare providers may support continuous and comprehensive care for patients with cancer. Future guidelines should explicitly address the role of GPs and provide clear recommendations for their integration into cancer care pathways. SCOPING REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/T8XEN .</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13536645/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148882061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}