Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study
BackgroundDuring the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with cancer in rural settings and distant geographical areas will be affected the most by curfews. Virtual management (telemedicine) has been shown to reduce health costs and improve access to care. ObjectiveThe aim o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | http://www.jmir.org/2020/6/e19691/ |
| _version_ | 1819242385871208448 |
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| author | Tashkandi, Emad Zeeneldin, Ahmed AlAbdulwahab, Amal Elemam, Omima Elsamany, Shereef Jastaniah, Wasil Abdullah, Shaker Alfayez, Mohammad Jazieh, Abdul Rahman Al-Shamsi, Humaid O |
| author_facet | Tashkandi, Emad Zeeneldin, Ahmed AlAbdulwahab, Amal Elemam, Omima Elsamany, Shereef Jastaniah, Wasil Abdullah, Shaker Alfayez, Mohammad Jazieh, Abdul Rahman Al-Shamsi, Humaid O |
| author_sort | Tashkandi, Emad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundDuring the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with cancer in rural settings and distant geographical areas will be affected the most by curfews. Virtual management (telemedicine) has been shown to reduce health costs and improve access to care.
ObjectiveThe aim of this survey is to understand oncologists’ awareness of and views on virtual management, challenges, and preferences, as well as their priorities regarding the prescribing of anticancer treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MethodsWe created a self-administrated electronic survey about the virtual management of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated its clinical sensibility and pilot tested the instrument. We surveyed practicing oncologists in Gulf and Arab countries using snowball sampling via emails and social media networks. Reminders were sent 1 and 2 weeks later using SurveyMonkey.
ResultsWe received 222 responses from validated oncologists from April 2-22, 2020. An awareness of virtual clinics, virtual multidisciplinary teams, and virtual prescriptions was reported by 182 (82%), 175 (79%), and 166 (75%) respondents, respectively. Reported challenges associated with virtual management were the lack of physical exam (n=134, 60%), patients’ awareness and access (n=131, 59%), the lack of physical attendance of patients (n=93, 42%), information technology (IT) support (n=82, 37%), and the safety of virtual management (n=78, 35%). Overall, 111 (50%) and 107 (48%) oncologists did not prefer the virtual prescription of chemotherapy and novel immunotherapy, respectively. However, 188 (85%), 165 (74%), and 127 (57%) oncologists preferred the virtual prescription of hormonal therapy, bone modifying agents, and targeted therapy, respectively. In total, 184 (83%), 183 (83%), and 176 (80%) oncologists preferred to continue neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative treatments, respectively. Overall, 118 (53%) respondents preferred to continue first-line palliative treatment, in contrast to 68 (30%) and 47 (21%) respondents indicating a preference to interrupt second- and third-line palliative treatment, respectively. For administration of virtual prescriptions, all respondents preferred the oral route and 118 (53%) preferred the subcutaneous route. In contrast, 193 (87%) did not prefer the intravenous route for virtual prescriptions. Overall, 102 (46%) oncologists responded that they would “definitely” prefer to manage patients with cancer virtually.
ConclusionsOncologists have a high level of awareness of virtual management. Although their survey responses indicated that second- and third-line palliative treatments should be interrupted, they stated that neoadjuvant, adjuvant, perioperative, and first-line palliative treatments should continue. Our results confirm that oncologists’ views on the priority of anticancer treatments are consistent with the evolving literature during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges to virtual management should be addressed to improve the care of patients with cancer. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:38:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-05ea5a632c2e494398f1ea750902b030 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:38:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-05ea5a632c2e494398f1ea750902b0302022-12-21T17:43:15ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712020-06-01226e1969110.2196/19691Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire StudyTashkandi, EmadZeeneldin, AhmedAlAbdulwahab, AmalElemam, OmimaElsamany, ShereefJastaniah, WasilAbdullah, ShakerAlfayez, MohammadJazieh, Abdul RahmanAl-Shamsi, Humaid OBackgroundDuring the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with cancer in rural settings and distant geographical areas will be affected the most by curfews. Virtual management (telemedicine) has been shown to reduce health costs and improve access to care. ObjectiveThe aim of this survey is to understand oncologists’ awareness of and views on virtual management, challenges, and preferences, as well as their priorities regarding the prescribing of anticancer treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsWe created a self-administrated electronic survey about the virtual management of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated its clinical sensibility and pilot tested the instrument. We surveyed practicing oncologists in Gulf and Arab countries using snowball sampling via emails and social media networks. Reminders were sent 1 and 2 weeks later using SurveyMonkey. ResultsWe received 222 responses from validated oncologists from April 2-22, 2020. An awareness of virtual clinics, virtual multidisciplinary teams, and virtual prescriptions was reported by 182 (82%), 175 (79%), and 166 (75%) respondents, respectively. Reported challenges associated with virtual management were the lack of physical exam (n=134, 60%), patients’ awareness and access (n=131, 59%), the lack of physical attendance of patients (n=93, 42%), information technology (IT) support (n=82, 37%), and the safety of virtual management (n=78, 35%). Overall, 111 (50%) and 107 (48%) oncologists did not prefer the virtual prescription of chemotherapy and novel immunotherapy, respectively. However, 188 (85%), 165 (74%), and 127 (57%) oncologists preferred the virtual prescription of hormonal therapy, bone modifying agents, and targeted therapy, respectively. In total, 184 (83%), 183 (83%), and 176 (80%) oncologists preferred to continue neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and perioperative treatments, respectively. Overall, 118 (53%) respondents preferred to continue first-line palliative treatment, in contrast to 68 (30%) and 47 (21%) respondents indicating a preference to interrupt second- and third-line palliative treatment, respectively. For administration of virtual prescriptions, all respondents preferred the oral route and 118 (53%) preferred the subcutaneous route. In contrast, 193 (87%) did not prefer the intravenous route for virtual prescriptions. Overall, 102 (46%) oncologists responded that they would “definitely” prefer to manage patients with cancer virtually. ConclusionsOncologists have a high level of awareness of virtual management. Although their survey responses indicated that second- and third-line palliative treatments should be interrupted, they stated that neoadjuvant, adjuvant, perioperative, and first-line palliative treatments should continue. Our results confirm that oncologists’ views on the priority of anticancer treatments are consistent with the evolving literature during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges to virtual management should be addressed to improve the care of patients with cancer.http://www.jmir.org/2020/6/e19691/ |
| spellingShingle | Tashkandi, Emad Zeeneldin, Ahmed AlAbdulwahab, Amal Elemam, Omima Elsamany, Shereef Jastaniah, Wasil Abdullah, Shaker Alfayez, Mohammad Jazieh, Abdul Rahman Al-Shamsi, Humaid O Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study |
| title_full | Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study |
| title_fullStr | Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study |
| title_short | Virtual Management of Patients With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Web-Based Questionnaire Study |
| title_sort | virtual management of patients with cancer during the covid 19 pandemic web based questionnaire study |
| url | http://www.jmir.org/2020/6/e19691/ |
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