Patient satisfaction with teleoncology: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess levels of satisfaction among rural cancer patients being seen for clinic visits by their remote university-based oncologist, using interactive videoconferencing (IAVC).
METHODS: A 12-item survey instrument assessing satisfaction with the patient-physician clinical interaction was administered to 39 cancer patients who were seen using IAVC. A similar survey, comprised of 9 of the 12 items used in the initial survey, was administered to 21 of these patients after a subsequent on-site clinical interaction. All items were responded to on a five-point Likert scale. Levels of satisfaction with the two consultation modes (IAVC mediated and on-site) were compared.
RESULTS: Relatively high levels of patient satisfaction with the telemedicine encounter were recorded both at the time of the initial IAVC-mediated clinical visit, as well at the follow-up on-site visit. With one exception, for each of the survey items, both initially and on follow-up, mean score was above 3.0 (i.e., positive).
CONCLUSION: This small pilot study suggests that rural cancer patients may be satisfied with seeing their oncologist via telemedicine, at least on an occasional basis. Although the accrual numbers are too small to allow the results to be generalizable, the results suggest that patient acceptance is high enough to warrant further investigation of this modality in the care of rural cancer patients with limited access to cancer specialists.