Cancer risk assessment from family history: Gaps in primary care practice

CONCLUSION

Findings in this chart review study are consistent with previous work showing that the quantity and type of family history currently being recorded in primary care charts are not adequate to fully assess familial risk. Bridging the gap between recommendations and actual practice will demand interventions to alter primary care practice or the introduction of new models to gather and analyze family data. Further research is also needed to evaluate the impact of improved family history taking on health care costs and outcomes.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Howard Rabinowitz, MD, for providing helpful suggestions in the development and execution of this project and Aliza Mansolino for the preparation of the manuscript.