Nurse-led telephone notification of a prostate cancer diagnosis: Prospective analysis of men's preferences for and experiences of a same-day assessment and diagnostic clinic

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The 'One Stop Prostate Clinic' (OSPC) was a same-day prostate cancer assessment and/or diagnostic clinic. Preferences and experiences of men who received initial telephone notification of their prostate biopsy results (cancer or benign) by the OSPC Clinical Nurse (CN) are reported. METHODS: Prospective mixed methods study using survey instrument and thematic analysis of OSPC preferences and experiences. RESULTS: One thousand men attended the OSPC between August 2011 and November 2017, 876 underwent prostate biopsies; 790/876 (90%) men consented to telephone notification of biopsy results, 5/876 (1%) declined and 79/876 (9%) were ineligible/not contacted. 220/403 men (55%) returned the OSPC questionnaire; 135/220 (61%) men received a cancer diagnosis, 119/132 (90%) would choose this method again and 7/132 (5.5%) would not and 6/132 (4.5%) were unsure; 94/135 (70%) reported no disadvantages with this notification method. Overall satisfaction rate with the OSPC was 96% (209/218) men. CONCLUSION: Initial telephone notification of prostate biopsy results by the OSPC CN was preferred by the vast majority of eligible men. Many men with a cancer diagnosis did not experience any disadvantages. This method of results delivery can be incorporated by other tumour groups.