Differences in How Men with Prostate Cancer Find Specialists
| Theme | Representative Quote | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Patients (n = 10) | N (%) | ||
| Selecting a Diagnosing Urologist | |||
| Referral | Received a referral from PCP but also researched/chose their own diagnosing urologist | “I was the one who chose [the diagnosing urologist] … I looked up on the internet and chose my own specific [diagnosing] urologist.” | 5 (50%) |
| Selecting a Specialist for Treatment | |||
| Referral | Received referral/treatment recommendation from diagnosing urologist but ultimately chose a different treating specialist | “I just didn't feel comfortable with just saying okay, I'll have [my diagnosing urologist] do the surgery. Because the first question I asked him was how many surgeries have you done. He said about 200, okay? … And I saw a [different treating specialist] … and he's got a national reputation.” | 9 (90%) |
| Online Research | Did online research | “I just looked at their [online] records and how deep a history they had doing this operation, and [the doctor] had done far more operations of this kind than the other fellow …” | 10 (100%) |
| Consulted Friends-Family-Co-workers | Talked to other men who had prostate cancer | “I spoke to a number of people that I knew that had had similar cancer. I then had a choice to make in my own mind between two hospitals.” | 8 (80%) |
| Second opinion | Sought second opinion after receiving a treatment recommendation/referral to another specialist from urologist | “I get a second opinion about buying a garage door. Or when you buy a car, you go to a second or third dealer … that's just a smart way to do things. So when potentially your life is in the balance, why wouldn't you get a second or third opinion?” | 7 (70%) |
| Partially Active Patients (n = 25) | N (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Selecting a Diagnosing Urologist | |||
| Referral | Went to diagnosing urologist they were referred to by PCP without additional searches | “No, I didn't know nothing about [the specialist] until I was told to go there. He's a really nice guy.” | 21 (84%) |
| Existing Urologist | Saw previous urologist they were referred to | “Well, I already knew that guy from being there once or twice before, and he is–I really liked him. I had a lot of confidence in him.” | 3 (12%) |
| Selecting a Specialist for Treatment | |||
| Referral | Received referral/treatment recommendation from diagnosing urologist but ultimately chose a different treating specialist | “[My diagnosing urologist] referred me to a radiologist … I went to [a different healthcare facility] also–talked to a doctor there. That's when we decided to have prostate treatment.” | 5 (20%) |
| Online Research | Did online research | “I went to the computer and looked things up about prostate cancer and everything.” | 7 (28%) |
| Consulted Friends-Family-Co-workers | Talked to friends-family-co-workers | “Just word of mouth, knowing the [hospital] system. And my wife just told me, my son-in-law has been a patient for them … He just had good words to say about him. He had never had any problems with him.” | 5 (20%) |
| Second Opinion | Sought second opinion after receiving a treatment recommendation/referral to another specialist from urologist | “We just feel any time there's surgery involved, we should get a second opinion. It's just prudent.” | 13 (52%) |
| Did not seek second opinion after receiving a treatment recommendation/referral to another specialist from urologist | “We had no second opinion … I just want to get this over with.” | 12 (48%) | |
| Passive Patients (n = 12) | N (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Selecting a Diagnosing Urologist | |||
| Referral | Went to diagnosing urologist they were referred to by PCP without additional searches | “I just went with what my family doctor said … I just went with what was suggested, and I was satisfied.” | 9 (75%) |
| Existing Urologist | Saw previous urologist they were referred to by PCP | “Because a few years back, I had a urology problem … And I called that particular practice, and he was the next doctor that had an appointment, so I saw him.” | 3 (25%) |
| Selecting a Specialist for Treatment | |||
| Referral | Saw only their diagnosing urologist and the treating specialists they were referred to by their diagnosing urologist for treatment | “[My diagnosing urologist] sent me over to radiation oncology and that's why I saw [the radiation oncologist] … and then [the radiation oncologist] started doing the radiation.” | 12 (100%) |
| Second Opinion | Did not seek second opinion after receiving a treatment recommendation/referral to another specialist from urologist | “I felt that–after my first meeting [with the urologist], … I didn't need a second opinion.” | 11 (91.6%) |
* One passive patient sought a separate specialist to get a stress test because of his cardiac condition before undergoing surgery. The other 11 passive patients did not seek other specialists.
PCP, primary care physician.