Oncologist Perspectives on Telemedicine for Patients With Cancer: A National Comprehensive Cancer Network Survey

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Digital Health
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare.
• Oncology telemedicine, encompassing phone and video consultations, has emerged as a critical care delivery method for cancer patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate oncologist perspectives on the current and future utility of telemedicine for cancer care.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for sustained telemedicine integration in oncology practices.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to 1,038 oncology providers across 26 institutions by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Oncology Advisory Group.
• The survey assessed provider opinions on telemedicine effectiveness across various clinical scenarios compared to in-person visits.

Main Results:

• 88% of providers found video telemedicine and 80% found telephone telemedicine equal or superior to in-person visits for reviewing benign follow-up data.
• While 93% reported rare adverse outcomes, challenges to widespread adoption include patient technology access, workflow integration, and post-pandemic insurance coverage.
• Providers estimated that 46% of post-pandemic visits could be conducted virtually.

Conclusions:

• Telemedicine is perceived as effective for numerous clinical scenarios in cancer care.
• A significant proportion of patient visits can be safely and effectively managed via telemedicine, influencing future healthcare infrastructure and policy.
• Addressing identified challenges is crucial for optimizing telemedicine's role in post-pandemic oncology.