Abstract:Introduction
The use of telemedicine in oncology practice is rapidly expanding and is considered safe and cost effective. However, the implications of telemedicine on patient‐physician interaction, patient satisfaction, and absence of the personal touch have not been studied to date. Following the spread of COVID‐19, telemedicine services were rapidly incorporated at the Oncology Division of Tel Aviv Medical Center. We aimed to evaluate patients' perspectives and preferences regarding telemedicine… Show more
“…43 Emerging evidence suggests high levels of patient satisfaction and confidence with telemedicine visits during COVID-19 and, among adult survivors of childhood cancers, a preference for telemedicine visits over in-person visits. 44,45 Telemedicine may, however, present difficulties for YAs in rural areas with unreliable internet service or for those with limited English proficiency, who may require coordination with a medical interpreter. Although YAs in the United States generally report high access to and comfort with digital tools, this should not be assumed.…”
Background
Young adult (YA) cancer survivors are at risk for financial toxicity during and after cancer treatment. Financial toxicity has been associated with medical‐related cost‐coping behaviors such as skipping or delaying treatment. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has resulted in dire economic consequences that may worsen financial hardship among young survivors.
Methods
This was a cross‐sectional survey; data collection occurred online. A convenience sample was recruited through YA cancer advocacy groups and social media. Negative economic events associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic (eg, income loss, increased debt, and decreased job security) and medical‐related cost‐coping were documented. A validated measure assessed cancer‐related financial toxicity.
Results
Participants (N = 212) had a mean age of 35.3 years at survey completion and a mean age of 27.4 years at diagnosis. Financial toxicity (mean, 14.0; SD, 9.33) was high. Two‐thirds of the sample experienced at least 1 negative economic event during COVID‐19, and 71% engaged in at least 1 medical cost‐coping behavior. Cost‐coping and pandemic‐related negative economic events were significantly correlated with cancer‐related financial toxicity. In multivariable analyses, pandemic‐related negative economic events and financial toxicity were associated with cost‐coping.
Conclusions
Acute negative economic events associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic may exacerbate cancer‐related financial toxicity and overall financial hardship among YAs and lead to cost‐coping behaviors that can compromise survivorship care and health outcomes. Multilevel, systematic interventions are needed to address the financial needs of YA survivors after the global pandemic.
“…43 Emerging evidence suggests high levels of patient satisfaction and confidence with telemedicine visits during COVID-19 and, among adult survivors of childhood cancers, a preference for telemedicine visits over in-person visits. 44,45 Telemedicine may, however, present difficulties for YAs in rural areas with unreliable internet service or for those with limited English proficiency, who may require coordination with a medical interpreter. Although YAs in the United States generally report high access to and comfort with digital tools, this should not be assumed.…”
Background
Young adult (YA) cancer survivors are at risk for financial toxicity during and after cancer treatment. Financial toxicity has been associated with medical‐related cost‐coping behaviors such as skipping or delaying treatment. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has resulted in dire economic consequences that may worsen financial hardship among young survivors.
Methods
This was a cross‐sectional survey; data collection occurred online. A convenience sample was recruited through YA cancer advocacy groups and social media. Negative economic events associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic (eg, income loss, increased debt, and decreased job security) and medical‐related cost‐coping were documented. A validated measure assessed cancer‐related financial toxicity.
Results
Participants (N = 212) had a mean age of 35.3 years at survey completion and a mean age of 27.4 years at diagnosis. Financial toxicity (mean, 14.0; SD, 9.33) was high. Two‐thirds of the sample experienced at least 1 negative economic event during COVID‐19, and 71% engaged in at least 1 medical cost‐coping behavior. Cost‐coping and pandemic‐related negative economic events were significantly correlated with cancer‐related financial toxicity. In multivariable analyses, pandemic‐related negative economic events and financial toxicity were associated with cost‐coping.
Conclusions
Acute negative economic events associated with the COVID‐19 pandemic may exacerbate cancer‐related financial toxicity and overall financial hardship among YAs and lead to cost‐coping behaviors that can compromise survivorship care and health outcomes. Multilevel, systematic interventions are needed to address the financial needs of YA survivors after the global pandemic.
“…The results suggested high patient satisfaction and perception of the technology as safe and effective (Figure 2). However, approximately one-third of the patients felt that the absence of face-to-face visits compromised their treatment although most wished to continue with telemedicine services [78]. In another recent study that examined the implementation and usage of telemedicine amidst the COVID-19 pandemic involving 1762 cancer patients, there were high levels of satisfaction among patients (92.6%) and their clinicians (65.2%) with telehealth video visits [122].…”
Section: Implementation and Satisfaction With Telehealth/telemedicinementioning
Telehealth is the delivery of many health care services and technologies to individuals at different geographical areas and is categorized as asynchronously or synchronously. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major disruptions in health care delivery to breast cancer (BCa) patients and there is increasing demand for telehealth services. Globally, telehealth has become an essential means of communication between patient and health care provider. The application of telehealth to the treatment of BCa patients is evolving and increasingly research has demonstrated its feasibility and effectiveness in improving clinical, psychological and social outcomes. Two areas of telehealth that have significantly grown in the past decade and particularly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are telerehabilitation and teleoncology. These two technological systems provide opportunities at every stage of the cancer care continuum for BCa patients. We conducted a literature review that examined the use of telehealth services via its various modes of delivery among BCa patients particularly in areas of screening, diagnosis, treatment modalities, as well as satisfaction among patients and health care professionals. The advantages of telehealth models of service and delivery challenges to patients in remote areas are discussed.
“…In recent years, various ways of administering telehealth have been established, especially utilizing telephone, text messages, wearable technology, video consultations, or a combination of these [11]. As an alternative to traditional face-to-face consultations, digital consultations (e.g., telephone or video) provide a promising service model for patients or clinicians who are self-isolated or live far away from the hospital [12]. Video consultations improve access to care but there is the risk that patients and clinicians find them less acceptable due to technical, logistical, and regulatory challenges [13,14].…”
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.