Cancer provider experiences with telehealth.

Abstract

e13888 Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in the use of telehealth in cancer care. However, there is limited data on cancer care provider experiences with telehealth. We surveyed surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists in an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in southern California about their experiences with telehealth. Methods: All 86 practicing cancer care providers (MDs and Advanced Practice Providers) at the UC San Diego Health Moores Cancer Center were invited to participate in an online survey about their experience with telehealth including factors that influence their use of telehealth and their confidence in their ability to assess patients using telehealth alone. Of those invited, 49 (57%) completed the survey: 19 (39%) surgical oncologists, 16 (33%) medical oncologists, 10 (20%) radiation oncologists, and 4 (8%) palliative care physicians. Results: The median age of the cancer care providers was 45.0 (IQR = 40-50) years. Most cancer care providers were male (61%), non-Hispanic (94%), and White (67%). Overall, 81% of providers found it easy to set up a telehealth visit. Almost all providers found the audio and video quality to be average or above average. Most (85%) also reported that patients could effectively communicate their questions and concerns by telehealth alone. Only half of cancer care providers (51%) were confident in their ability to conduct a physical examination by telehealth and considered physical examination as a driving factor for an in-person visit. By specialty, 47% of surgeons were confident in their ability to conduct a physical examination prior to surgery, but 74% were confident in their ability to assess a patient after surgery using telehealth alone. Most medical oncologists (81%) and radiation oncologists (80%), in contrast, were confident in in their ability to assess a patient before or during chemotherapy or before or during radiation therapy, respectively. Conclusions: Despite rapid shifts in the utilization of telehealth, cancer care providers are satisfied with telehealth and endorse it as an adequate means of providing surgical, medical, and radiation related care to cancer patients. However, confidence in being able to assess a patient by telehealth alone varies by specialty with surgeons being less confident in their ability to conduct a physical examination prior to surgery.