The role of primary care physicians and nurses in convincing patients to participate in a colorectal cancer screening program in a Polish coordinated care organization: a questionnaire-based study

Background: Medical assistants/care coordinators play a crucial role in the coordinated care system. The tasks of nurses and some qualified supporting staff have been extended to include this role along with the implementation of the pilot program POZ Plus in Polish primary healthcare. A personalized approach to the patient is especially important during the implementation of large-scale prevention programs. Aim of the study: To assess who has the greatest influence on the patient’s decision to undergo screening colonoscopy and outline the current and potential roles of nurses in this process. Material and methods: This questionnaire-based study was conducted at the coordinated care facility Medical and Diagnostic Center (CMD) in Siedlce, Poland between March 1st and June 15th, 2017. Results: 138 patients participated in the study. The majority (75; 54.4%) reported they were directly convinced to undergo colonoscopy by a primary care physician. 18 (13.0%) were convinced by a nurse, and 22 (15.9%) by another specialist. The remaining (23; 16.7%) patients indicated other factors. The majority of patients (74; 53.6%) responded saying that all necessary information about the entire test course was provided by the nurse, while 35 (25.4%) shared that this information had come from the primary care physician, 8 (5.80%) from the specialist doctor, 3 (2.17%) from the receptionist and 18 (13.0%) from other sources of information, such as the Internet, leaflets and notice boards. Conclusions: We found that primary care physicians at this institution have an important role in convincing patients to undergo preventive colonoscopy, while nurses provide key information to patients on the preparation and the course of this procedure. Although the current model seems to be effective in a coordinated care setting, there may be still a place for nurse care coordinators to take on some tasks previously performed by doctors.