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Hematology and oncology clinical care during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
Manish A Shah1, M Frances Emlen1, Tsiporah Shore1
1Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
Insights
Cancer care in New York City was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Oncology practices adapted by implementing new communication, telemedicine, and clinic strategies to maintain continuity of care during the crisis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Infectious Diseases
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- New York City was an epicenter for the COVID-19 pandemic, severely impacting healthcare systems.
- The pandemic caused unprecedented challenges in delivering cancer care, affecting patient treatment and outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the transformation of a Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology during the COVID-19 crisis.
- To share strategies for managing cancer patient care amidst a pandemic to aid other institutions.
Main Methods:
- Established regular communication channels for leadership to develop and implement a restructuring strategy.
- Reconfigured inpatient and outpatient units to accommodate pandemic-related needs.
- Rapidly implemented telemedicine video visits and established dedicated COVID-19 rule-out and positive clinics.
Main Results:
- Successfully managed the influx of COVID-19 patients while minimizing disruption to cancer care.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of adapting oncology services to a pandemic environment.
- Maintained continuity of care for vulnerable cancer patient populations.
Conclusions:
- The implemented changes allowed the division to navigate the COVID-19 crisis effectively.
- The strategies employed offer a valuable framework for other oncology practices facing similar public health emergencies.
- Proactive restructuring and adoption of new care models are crucial for resilient cancer care delivery during pandemics.
Abstract:
New York City has been at the epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has already infected over a million people and resulted in more than 70,000 deaths as of early May 2020 in the United States alone. This rapid and enormous influx of patients into the health care system has had profound effects on all aspects of health care, including the care of patients with cancer. In this report, the authors highlight the transformation they underwent within the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology as they prepared for the COVID-19 crisis in New York City. Under stressful and uncertain conditions, some of the many changes they enacted within their division included developing a regular line of communication among division leaders to ensure the development and implementation of a restructuring strategy, completely reconfiguring the inpatient and outpatient units, rapidly developing the ability to perform telemedicine video visits, and creating new COVID-rule-out and COVID-positive clinics for their patients. These changes allowed them to manage the storm while minimizing the disruption of important continuity of care to their patients with cancer. The authors hope that their experiences will be helpful to other oncology practices about to experience their own individual COVID-19 crises.
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