TY - JOUR T1 - “It’s Improving Screening Rates, it’s Catching Things Early, and it’s Empowering People”: A Qualitative Study of BETTER WISE JF - The Annals of Family Medicine JO - Ann Fam Med DO - 10.1370/afm.21.s1.3816 VL - 21 IS - Supplement 1 SP - 3816 AU - Nicolette Sopcak AU - Carolina Fernandes AU - Melanie Wong AU - Daniel Ofosu AU - Ielaf Khalil AU - Mary Ann O’Brien AU - Tracy Wong AU - Donna Manca Y1 - 2023/01/01 UR - http://www.annfammed.org/content/21/Supplement_1/3816.abstract N2 - Context: BETTER WISE is a comprehensive and structured approach for cancer and chronic disease prevention and screening (CCDPS) that addresses cancer survivorship and screens for lifestyle risks and poverty in patients aged 40 to 65.Objective: To describe the impact, barriers and facilitators of BETTER WISE.Study Design and Analysis: Qualitative study: 17 focus groups and 48 key informant interviews were conducted, transcribed and analyzed employing thematic analysis using a constant comparative method. Written feedback (585 feedback forms) from patients was also collected and analyzed.Setting: 13 primary care settings (urban, rural and remote) in Alberta, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.Participants: Primary care team members (N=132) including clinicians, managers and clerical staff participated in focus groups or one-on-one key informant telephone interviews. Additionally, patients submitted 585 written feedback forms.Intervention: 1,005 patients were invited for a one-hour visit with a “prevention practitioner” (PP), a member of the primary care team with training in CCDPS and the BETTER WISE approach. PPs met with patients one-on-one to provide them with an overview of their individual risk for chronic diseases, eligibility for screening, and assistance with lifestyle counselling.Results: Four main themes were identified: 1) Impact on patients: Patients appreciated the BETTER WISE approach and found it empowering. They caught health concerns that were overlooked and reported improved lifestyle changes; 2) Impact on primary care providers (PCPs): PPs reported improved teamwork, increased knowledge of CCDPS, and better relationships with patients and physicians; 3) The main barrier to implementation of BETTER WISE was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which: i) changed prevention visits to phone visits, ii) put screening tests on hold, and iii) added hardship on patients and PCPs as focus shifted to emergencies, acute care, and COVID-19 screening and vaccinations; 4) Facilitators of the implementation of BETTER WISE included: i) buy-in from PPs, physicians, and patients, ii) good relationship and team culture within primary care teams, and iii) alignment with CCDPS activities already happening at the clinics.Conclusion: Despite the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the participating primary care clinics completed the BETTER WISE study and the BETTER WISE approach had a positive impact on patients and PCPs. ER -