Michael F Humer1, Barbara G Campling2. 1. Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Kelowna General Hospital, 2268 Pandosy Street, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 1T2, Canada. Michael.Humer@interiorhealth.ca. 2. Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, British Columbia Cancer Agency - Centre for the Southern Interior, 399 Royal Avenue, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 5L3, Canada.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this study is to review the role of telemedicine in providing oncology care; we describe our long-standing, high-volume telemedicine experience. RECENT FINDINGS: The Interior Health Thoracic Surgical Group (IHTSG) uses telemedicine, through Virtual Thoracic Surgical Clinics (VTSC), to provide service to remote patients. The IHTSG serves a population of 1.01 million people over an area of 807,538 km2 (1.3 persons/km2) in the Interior and North of British Columbia, Canada. Between 2003 and 2015, the IHTSG conducted 15,073 telemedicine patient encounters at 63 geographic sites. Telemedicine saved these patients a total travel distance of 11.5 million km-an average of 766 km per patient. VTSC supports and strengthens the Hub and Spoke model of healthcare delivery-patients residing remotely can easily access centrally delivered service. Telemedicine makes specialized care available to all patients by overcoming a major impediment to access, namely distance.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this study is to review the role of telemedicine in providing oncology care; we describe our long-standing, high-volume telemedicine experience. RECENT FINDINGS: The Interior Health Thoracic Surgical Group (IHTSG) uses telemedicine, through Virtual Thoracic Surgical Clinics (VTSC), to provide service to remote patients. The IHTSG serves a population of 1.01 million people over an area of 807,538 km2 (1.3 persons/km2) in the Interior and North of British Columbia, Canada. Between 2003 and 2015, the IHTSG conducted 15,073 telemedicine patient encounters at 63 geographic sites. Telemedicine saved these patients a total travel distance of 11.5 million km-an average of 766 km per patient. VTSC supports and strengthens the Hub and Spoke model of healthcare delivery-patients residing remotely can easily access centrally delivered service. Telemedicine makes specialized care available to all patients by overcoming a major impediment to access, namely distance.
Entities:
Keywords:
Hub and Spoke model; Oncology; Patient care; Rural; Telemedicine; Thoracic surgery
Authors: Narek Shaverdian; Erin F Gillespie; Elaine Cha; Soo Young Kim; Stephanie Benvengo; Fumiko Chino; Jung Julie Kang; Yuelin Li; Thomas M Atkinson; Nancy Lee; Charles M Washington; Oren Cahlon; Daniel R Gomez Journal: J Natl Compr Canc Netw Date: 2021-01-04 Impact factor: 11.908