Hannah Arem1,2, Jenna Moses3, Cindy Cisneros4, Benoit Blondeau5,6, Larissa Nekhlyudov3,4,6, Maureen Killackey4,7, Mandi L Pratt-Chapman8. 1. Medstar Health Research Institute, Healthcare Delivery Research, Washington, DC. 2. Department of Oncology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. 3. Department of Epidemiology, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC. 4. George Washington University Cancer Center, Community Advisory Board, Washington, DC. 5. University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. 6. Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. 7. American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer Site Reviewer, NYS Cancer Advisory Council, New York, NY. 8. George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid shifts in cancer survivorship care, including the widespread use of telehealth. Given the swift transition and limited data on preferences and experiences around telehealth, we surveyed oncology providers and post-treatment survivors to better understand experiences with the transition to telehealth. METHODS: We distributed provider (MD, PA or NP, nurse, navigator, and social worker) and survivor surveys through the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer in mid-October 2020. Survivor surveys were also disseminated through patient advocacy organizations. We included questions on demographics, experiences with telehealth, and preferences for future telehealth utilization. RESULTS: Among N = 607 providers and N = 539 cancer survivors, there was overwhelmingly more support from providers than from survivors for delivery of various types of survivorship care via telehealth and greater comfort with telehealth technologies. The only types of appointments deemed appropriate for survivorship care by both > 50% of providers and survivors were discussion of laboratory results or imaging, assessment and/or management of cancer treatment symptoms, nutrition counseling, and patient navigation support. Only a quarter of survivors reported increased access to health care services (25.5%), and 32.0% reported that they would use telehealth again. CONCLUSION: Although there have been drastic changes in technological capabilities and billing reimbursement structures for telehealth, there are still concerns around delivery of a broad range of survivorship care services via telehealth, particularly from the patient perspective. Still, offering telehealth services, where endorsed by providers and if available and acceptable to cancer survivors, may provide more efficient and accessible care following the COVID-19 pandemic.
PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid shifts in cancer survivorship care, including the widespread use of telehealth. Given the swift transition and limited data on preferences and experiences around telehealth, we surveyed oncology providers and post-treatment survivors to better understand experiences with the transition to telehealth. METHODS: We distributed provider (MD, PA or NP, nurse, navigator, and social worker) and survivor surveys through the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer in mid-October 2020. Survivor surveys were also disseminated through patient advocacy organizations. We included questions on demographics, experiences with telehealth, and preferences for future telehealth utilization. RESULTS: Among N = 607 providers and N = 539 cancer survivors, there was overwhelmingly more support from providers than from survivors for delivery of various types of survivorship care via telehealth and greater comfort with telehealth technologies. The only types of appointments deemed appropriate for survivorship care by both > 50% of providers and survivors were discussion of laboratory results or imaging, assessment and/or management of cancer treatment symptoms, nutrition counseling, and patient navigation support. Only a quarter of survivors reported increased access to health care services (25.5%), and 32.0% reported that they would use telehealth again. CONCLUSION: Although there have been drastic changes in technological capabilities and billing reimbursement structures for telehealth, there are still concerns around delivery of a broad range of survivorship care services via telehealth, particularly from the patient perspective. Still, offering telehealth services, where endorsed by providers and if available and acceptable to cancer survivors, may provide more efficient and accessible care following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authors: Sara Izadi-Najafabadi; Lisa McQuarrie; Stuart Peacock; Ross Halperin; Leah Lambert; Craig Mitton; Helen McTaggart-Cowan Journal: Curr Oncol Date: 2022-06-10 Impact factor: 3.109
Authors: Matthew Mackwood; Rebecca Butcher; Danielle Vaclavik; Jennifer A Alford-Teaster; Kevin M Curtis; Mary Lowry; Tor D Tosteson; Wenyan Zhao; Anna N A Tosteson Journal: JMIR Cancer Date: 2022-08-16