Poster (15W107)

Chronic Pancreatitis (CP) in Primary Care: the management of an orphan disease

Author(s)

Ní Chonchubhair, HM, O’Shea B, Duggan S, Ryan B, Conlon KC

Department(s)/Institutions

Professorial Surgical Unit, Dept of Surgery, Tallaght Hospital & Trinity College Dublin. Dept of Public Health and Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin. Dept of Gastroenterology Tallaght Hospital

Introduction

There are no data regarding the incidence, prevalence, hospitalisation, aetiology or management of CP in Ireland, nor have the experiences/insights of frontline clinicians been sought.

Aims/Background

We devised a GP survey, and distributed it to a random sample of 20% nationally. This explored trends in primary care CP management, GPs’ insights and concerns regarding CP management and the potential for the development of a national CP disease registry.

Method

A 23-question survey was twice posted to 563 randomlyselected GPs. The survey was first piloted (n=20). Preliminary analysis of the first 100 surveys is presented. Data were analysed using SPSS and content analysis of qualitative information.

Results

Most respondents (69%) were male and 87% had >8years experience. Most (96%) were unaware of any national/international consensus guidelines for CP management. Whilst 61% of GPs reported having CP patients in their care, 40% actually code for these in their practice. Almost half (49%) have no access to multidisciplinary team support. 48% indicated a disease registry would be useful, however only 26% felt it would be actively used. 40% of GPs indicated they were “unhappy” with current care levels.

Conclusions

Deficits exist in guideline knowledge, MDT support and CP management in the Irish primary care setting. Many GPs were unsure if a disease registry would be utilised by healthcare professionals, and most were unhappy with the prospect of ongoing CP care. The survey was couched with reference to the principals of good chronic disease management, and based on these results, evidently CP is not currently being managed as a chronic disease.

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