A Sustainable Virtual Model for Comprehensive Childhood Cancer Survivorship Care

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Healthcare Management
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Childhood cancer survivorship care necessitates interdisciplinary teams.
• The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional in-person care models for survivors.
• Virtual care models emerged as a necessity to maintain essential services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on a virtually based interdisciplinary clinic model for childhood cancer survivors (CCSs).
• To assess the feasibility, sustainability, and family preference of virtual survivorship care.
• To provide a framework for implementing virtual interdisciplinary care.

Main Methods:

• Initiated a virtual interdisciplinary clinic with up to seven specialists in separate locations.
• Patients participated in successive virtual encounters as a continuous visit.
• Data collected on patient volume, provider acceptance, and family-reported preferences.

Main Results:

• Maintained patient volume comparable to traditional in-person survivorship visits.
• Completed 593 interdisciplinary virtual survivorship visits between 2020 and 2023.
• Providers reported high acceptance; virtual visits remain offered post-pandemic.

Conclusions:

• The virtual interdisciplinary clinic model is feasible and sustainable for childhood cancer survivors.
• Families preferred virtual care for its flexibility, reduced travel, and comfort.
• This model offers a more accessible and flexible option for survivorship care.