Telemedicine Use and Satisfaction Among Radiation Oncologists During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evaluation of Current Trends and Future Opportunities

Abstract

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Physician Perspectives on Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology

“…These figures are consistent with previously reported high satisfaction rates (74%-100%) and interest (82%-89%) in continuing to offer telemedicine after the pandemic ends among other radiation oncologists. 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 Motivators driving telemedicine utilization included patient and provider preference, the ability to improve access to both standard-of-care radiation treatments and clinical trials, and improved clinical safety and efficiency. Patient factors most often considered when determining to use telemedicine included patient convenience, cost-effectiveness (consistent with prior reports), 17 and patient attitudes toward telemedicine.…”

“…Telemedicine offers the potential for a range of benefits, including improvements in clinical outcomes, quality and safety, access to care, financial and operational impact, health equity, and patient, family and clinician experience. 1 Although telemedicine was implemented in limited settings before the COVID-19 pandemic, 2 U.S. radiation oncology (RO) practices dramatically increased their use of telemedicine in early 2020, 3 , 4 , 5 partly out of concern for viral transmission and partly due to temporary waivers that eased payment and privacy restrictions for Medicare providers. 6 …”

“… 3 Many prior studies had few analyzable responses (n <20), 2 , 7 , 8 and others had low (<20%) or incalculable response rates. 4 , 5 , 9 Some researchers invited midlevel providers and residents to complete the survey, which may reflect a different perspective with regard to medical knowledge or risk assessment. 2 , 7 , 8 Several surveys were multispecialty, which makes deriving RO-specific conclusions challenging.…”

The Patient Perspective of Telemedicine in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Telemedicine, which is seen as a precaution taken during the pandemic period due to the risky environment in hospitals, has played an important role in promoting remote patient-physician communication and reducing the transmission of the virus ( Damico et al, 2021 ). Telemedicine applications can accelerate the transformative effect of technology in the field of medicine during the pandemic period.…”

Nuevas tecnologías en Medicina

“…La aceptación de la TC por parte de los pacientes es elevada, como demuestran varios trabajos publicados recientemente en los que se analizado la asistencia remota recibida durante la pandemia por coronavirus [27,28]. La alta satisfacción manifestada por los usuarios, los beneficios constatados y la gran resolución de las teleconsultas, ha llevado a plantearse ampliar estos servicios tras la pandemia, especialmente para la entrega de resultados de pruebas y valoración del control de una enfermedad.…”