A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual
Background: Social determinants of health directly affect cancer survival. Driven by advances in technology and recent demands due to COVID-19, telemedicine has the ability to improve patient access to care, lower health care costs, and increase workflow efficiency. The role of telemedicine in radia...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Mary Ann Liebert
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Telemedicine Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/TMR.2021.0007 |
| _version_ | 1797346017534803968 |
|---|---|
| author | Ryan C. Miller Brittany A. Simone Joseph F. Lombardo James Taylor Kamila Nowak-Choi Kevin Ko Linda Ferguson Ann Donnelly Ayesha S. Ali Wenyin Shi Adam P. Dicker Nicole L. Simone |
| author_facet | Ryan C. Miller Brittany A. Simone Joseph F. Lombardo James Taylor Kamila Nowak-Choi Kevin Ko Linda Ferguson Ann Donnelly Ayesha S. Ali Wenyin Shi Adam P. Dicker Nicole L. Simone |
| author_sort | Ryan C. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Social determinants of health directly affect cancer survival. Driven by advances in technology and recent demands due to COVID-19, telemedicine has the ability to improve patient access to care, lower health care costs, and increase workflow efficiency. The role of telemedicine in radiation oncology is not established.
Materials and Methods: We conducted an IRB-approved pilot trial using a telehealth platform for the first post-radiation visit in patients with any cancer diagnosis. The primary endpoint was feasibility of using telehealth defined by completion of five telehealth visits per month in a single department. Secondary endpoints included the ability to assess patients appropriately, patient and physician satisfaction. Physicians were surveyed again during the pandemic to determine whether viewpoints changed.
Results: Between May 27, 2016 and August 1, 2018, 37 patients were enrolled in the Telehealth in Post-operative Radiation Therapy (TelePORT) trial, with 24 evaluable patients who completed their scheduled telehealth visit. On average, 1.4 patients were accrued per month. All patients were satisfied with their care, had enough time with their physician and 85.7% believed the telehealth communication was excellent. All physicians were able to accurately assess the patient's symptoms via telehealth, whereas 82.3% felt they could accurately assess treatment-related toxicity. Physicians assessing skin toxicity from breast radiation were those who did not feel they were able to assess toxicity.
Discussion and Conclusions: Both health care providers and patients have identified telemedicine as a suitable platform for radiation oncology visits. Although there are limitations, telemedicine has significant potential for increasing access of cancer care delivery in radiation oncology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:26:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e612cf5fb1d4c90a391b451ecbb8cb4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2692-4366 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T11:26:42Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Mary Ann Liebert |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Telemedicine Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e612cf5fb1d4c90a391b451ecbb8cb42024-01-26T05:17:40ZengMary Ann LiebertTelemedicine Reports2692-43662021-06-012117117810.1089/TMR.2021.0007A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is VirtualRyan C. MillerBrittany A. SimoneJoseph F. LombardoJames TaylorKamila Nowak-ChoiKevin KoLinda FergusonAnn DonnellyAyesha S. AliWenyin ShiAdam P. DickerNicole L. SimoneBackground: Social determinants of health directly affect cancer survival. Driven by advances in technology and recent demands due to COVID-19, telemedicine has the ability to improve patient access to care, lower health care costs, and increase workflow efficiency. The role of telemedicine in radiation oncology is not established. Materials and Methods: We conducted an IRB-approved pilot trial using a telehealth platform for the first post-radiation visit in patients with any cancer diagnosis. The primary endpoint was feasibility of using telehealth defined by completion of five telehealth visits per month in a single department. Secondary endpoints included the ability to assess patients appropriately, patient and physician satisfaction. Physicians were surveyed again during the pandemic to determine whether viewpoints changed. Results: Between May 27, 2016 and August 1, 2018, 37 patients were enrolled in the Telehealth in Post-operative Radiation Therapy (TelePORT) trial, with 24 evaluable patients who completed their scheduled telehealth visit. On average, 1.4 patients were accrued per month. All patients were satisfied with their care, had enough time with their physician and 85.7% believed the telehealth communication was excellent. All physicians were able to accurately assess the patient's symptoms via telehealth, whereas 82.3% felt they could accurately assess treatment-related toxicity. Physicians assessing skin toxicity from breast radiation were those who did not feel they were able to assess toxicity. Discussion and Conclusions: Both health care providers and patients have identified telemedicine as a suitable platform for radiation oncology visits. Although there are limitations, telemedicine has significant potential for increasing access of cancer care delivery in radiation oncology.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/TMR.2021.0007telemedicineradiation oncologye-healthpatient satisfactionprovider satisfaction |
| spellingShingle | Ryan C. Miller Brittany A. Simone Joseph F. Lombardo James Taylor Kamila Nowak-Choi Kevin Ko Linda Ferguson Ann Donnelly Ayesha S. Ali Wenyin Shi Adam P. Dicker Nicole L. Simone A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual Telemedicine Reports telemedicine radiation oncology e-health patient satisfaction provider satisfaction |
| title | A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual |
| title_full | A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual |
| title_fullStr | A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual |
| title_short | A Pilot Trial Using Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: The Future of Health Care Is Virtual |
| title_sort | pilot trial using telemedicine in radiation oncology the future of health care is virtual |
| topic | telemedicine radiation oncology e-health patient satisfaction provider satisfaction |
| url | https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/TMR.2021.0007 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ryancmiller apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT brittanyasimone apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT josephflombardo apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT jamestaylor apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT kamilanowakchoi apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT kevinko apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT lindaferguson apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT anndonnelly apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT ayeshasali apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT wenyinshi apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT adampdicker apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT nicolelsimone apilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT ryancmiller pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT brittanyasimone pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT josephflombardo pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT jamestaylor pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT kamilanowakchoi pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT kevinko pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT lindaferguson pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT anndonnelly pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT ayeshasali pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT wenyinshi pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT adampdicker pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual AT nicolelsimone pilottrialusingtelemedicineinradiationoncologythefutureofhealthcareisvirtual |