Analysis of the Implementation of Telehealth Visits for Care of Patients With Cancer in Houston During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
JCO Oncol Pract
; 17(1): e36-e43, 2021 Jan.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-835908
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of telemedicine amid the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in patients with cancer and assess barriers to its implementation. PATIENTS ANDMETHODS:
Telehealth video visits, using the Houston Methodist MyChart platform, were offered to patients with cancer as an alternative to in-person visits. Reasons given by patients who declined to use video visits were documented, and demographic information was collected from all patients. Surveys were used to assess the levels of satisfaction of treating physicians and patients who agreed to video visits.RESULTS:
Of 1,762 patients with cancer who were offered telehealth video visits, 1,477 (83.8%) participated. The patients who declined participation were older (67.7 v 60.2 years; P < .0001), lived in significantly lower-income areas (P = .0021), and were less likely to have commercial insurance (P < .0001) than patients who participated. Most participating patients (92.6%) were satisfied with telehealth video visits. A majority of physicians (65.2%) were also satisfied with its use, and 74% indicated that they would likely use telemedicine in the future. Primary concerns that physicians had in using this technology were inadequate patient interactions and acquisition of medical data, increased potential for missing significant clinical findings, decreased quality of care, and potential medical liability.CONCLUSION:
Oncology/hematology patients and their physicians expressed high levels of satisfaction with the use of telehealth video visits. Despite recent advances in technology, there are still opportunities to improve the equal implementation of telemedicine for the medical care of vulnerable older, low-income, and underinsured patient populations.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Telemedicine
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
/
Neoplasms
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
English
Journal:
JCO Oncol Pract
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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