Table A1.
Algorithm for Assignment of Physicians to Patients When More Than One Physician Linked to Given Patient
| Cancer Type | Highest Priority* | Second Highest Priority | Third Highest Priority | Lowest Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage I NSCLC (n = 511) | Most important, 35.8% | Surgeon, 46.4% | Radiation oncologist, 6.3% | Medical oncologist, 11.6% |
| Stage II NSCLC (n = 190) | Most important, 30.0% | Surgeon, 37.4% | Radiation oncologist, 11.6% | Medical oncologist, 21.1% |
| Stage III NSCLC (n = 564) | Most important, 40.1% | Medical oncologist, 26.6% | Surgeon, 16.3% | Radiation oncologist, 17.0% |
| Stage IV NSCLC (n = 643) | Most important, 39.0% | Medical oncologist, 36.7% | Radiation oncologist, 18.2% | Surgeon, 6.1% |
| SCLC (n = 224) | Most important, 44.6% | Medical oncologist, 34.8% | Radiation oncologist, 16.5% | Surgeon, 4.0% |
| Stage I colon cancer (n = 340) | Most important, 35.3% | Surgeon, 57.7% | Medical oncologist, 7.1% | Radiation oncologist, 0.0% |
| Stage II colon cancer (n = 505) | Most important, 33.3% | Surgeon, 52.5% | Medical oncologist, 13.9% | Radiation oncologist, 0.4% |
| Stage III colon cancer (n = 596) | Most important, 35.7% | Surgeon, 44.6% | Medical oncologist, 19.1% | Radiation oncologist, 0.5% |
| Stage I rectal cancer (n = 143) | Most important, 41.3% | Surgeon, 44.8% | Radiation oncologist, 9.1% | Medical oncologist, 4.9% |
| Stage II rectal cancer (n = 132) | Most important, 50.8% | Surgeon, 27.3% | Radiation oncologist, 11.4% | Medical oncologist, 10.6% |
| Stage III rectal cancer (n = 181) | Most important, 42.0% | Surgeon, 37.0% | Radiation oncologist, 8.8% | Medical oncologist, 12.2% |
| Stage I to III colorectal cancer (colon plus rectal or missing site; n = 105) | Most important, 42.9% | All patients linked to only one physician (surgeons, 68.3%; medical oncologists, 23.3%; radiation oncologists, 8.3%) | ||
| Stage IV colorectal cancer (n = 417) | Most important, 35.0% | Medical oncologist, 31.2% | Radiation oncologist, 4.6% | Surgeon, 29.3% |
Abbreviations: NSCLC, non–small-cell lung cancer; SCLC, small-cell lung cancer.
*
Most important physician was physician specified by patient as one who had been most important in helping patient decide whether to have tests or treatments for his or her cancer.