Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy
Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are recognized as the gold standard for care management of cancer patients, and during the COVID-19 pandemic they were considered a priority to be maintained. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, MDT meetings were forcibly converted from in-person to telematic...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/9/2486 |
| _version_ | 1797602922559700992 |
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| author | Giada Caviola Jessica Daolio Carlotta Pellegri Francesca Cigarini Luca Braglia Marco Foracchia Elisa Mazzini Loredana Cerullo |
| author_facet | Giada Caviola Jessica Daolio Carlotta Pellegri Francesca Cigarini Luca Braglia Marco Foracchia Elisa Mazzini Loredana Cerullo |
| author_sort | Giada Caviola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are recognized as the gold standard for care management of cancer patients, and during the COVID-19 pandemic they were considered a priority to be maintained. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, MDT meetings were forcibly converted from in-person to telematic format. This retrospective study evaluated the annual performance of four MDT meeting indicators (MDT members’ attendance, number of discussed cases, frequency of MDT meetings, and duration) between 2019 and 2022 to report on the implementation of teleconsultation in MDT meetings related to 10 cancer care pathways (CCPs). Over the study period, MDT member participation and the number of discussed cases improved or did not change in 90% (9/10) and 80% (8/10) of the CCPs, respectively. We did not observe significant differences in any of the CCPs included in the study regarding the annual frequency and duration of MDT meeting. Considering the rapidity, extent, and intensity with which telematic tools were adopted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of this study showed that MDT teleconsultation supported the CCPs, and consequently, the delivery of cancer care in COVID-19 times, helping to understand the effects of telematic tools on health care performance and the parties involved. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:22:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87061264194948f9b8968b6e9e339169 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:22:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-87061264194948f9b8968b6e9e3391692023-11-17T22:40:24ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942023-04-01159248610.3390/cancers15092486Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern ItalyGiada Caviola0Jessica Daolio1Carlotta Pellegri2Francesca Cigarini3Luca Braglia4Marco Foracchia5Elisa Mazzini6Loredana Cerullo7Quality and Accreditation Office, Medical Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyQuality and Accreditation Office, Medical Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyQuality and Accreditation Office, Medical Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyQuality and Accreditation Office, Medical Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyClinical Trials Center, Research and Statistics Infrastructure, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyInformation Technology Unit Department, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyScientific Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyQuality and Accreditation Office, Medical Directorate, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyMultidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are recognized as the gold standard for care management of cancer patients, and during the COVID-19 pandemic they were considered a priority to be maintained. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, MDT meetings were forcibly converted from in-person to telematic format. This retrospective study evaluated the annual performance of four MDT meeting indicators (MDT members’ attendance, number of discussed cases, frequency of MDT meetings, and duration) between 2019 and 2022 to report on the implementation of teleconsultation in MDT meetings related to 10 cancer care pathways (CCPs). Over the study period, MDT member participation and the number of discussed cases improved or did not change in 90% (9/10) and 80% (8/10) of the CCPs, respectively. We did not observe significant differences in any of the CCPs included in the study regarding the annual frequency and duration of MDT meeting. Considering the rapidity, extent, and intensity with which telematic tools were adopted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the results of this study showed that MDT teleconsultation supported the CCPs, and consequently, the delivery of cancer care in COVID-19 times, helping to understand the effects of telematic tools on health care performance and the parties involved.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/9/2486cancer care pathwayCOVID-19multidisciplinary team meetingoncologyteleconsultation |
| spellingShingle | Giada Caviola Jessica Daolio Carlotta Pellegri Francesca Cigarini Luca Braglia Marco Foracchia Elisa Mazzini Loredana Cerullo Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy Cancers cancer care pathway COVID-19 multidisciplinary team meeting oncology teleconsultation |
| title | Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy |
| title_full | Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy |
| title_fullStr | Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy |
| title_short | Learning from Adaptations to the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Teleconsultation Supported Cancer Care Pathways at a Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northern Italy |
| title_sort | learning from adaptations to the covid 19 pandemic how teleconsultation supported cancer care pathways at a comprehensive cancer center in northern italy |
| topic | cancer care pathway COVID-19 multidisciplinary team meeting oncology teleconsultation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/9/2486 |
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