- Title
- Business as unusual: medical oncology services adapt and deliver during COVID-19
- Creator
- Travers, Avraham; Adler, Kim; Blanchard, Gillian; Bonaventura, Tony; Charlton, Julie; Day, Fiona; Healey, Laura; Kim, Sang; Lombard, Janine; Mallesara, Girish; Mandaliya, Hiren; Navani, Vishal; Nordman, Ina; Paterson, Robin; Plowman, Louise; Quah, Gaik Tin; Scalley, Michael; Shrestha, Prajwol; Tailor, Bharti; van der Westhuizen, Andre
- Relation
- Internal Medicine Journal Vol. 51, Issue 5, p. 673-681
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/imj.15217
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged cancer care globally, introducing resource limitations and competing risks into clinical practice. Aims: To describe the COVID-19 impact on medical oncology care provision in an Australian setting. Methods: Calvary Mater Newcastle and Newcastle Private Hospital medical oncology data from 1 February to 31 April 2019 versus 2020 were retrospectively analysed. Results: Three hundred and sixty-four inpatient admissions occurred in 2020, 21% less than in 2019. Total inpatient days decreased by 22% (2842 vs 2203). April was most impacted (36% and 44% fewer admissions and inpatient days respectively). Mean length of stay remained unchanged (6.4 vs 6.2 days, P = 0.7). In all, 5072 outpatient consultations were conducted, including 417 new-patient consultations (4% and 6% increase on 2019 respectively). Telephone consultations (0 vs 1380) replaced one-quarter of face-to-face consultations (4859 vs 3623, −25%), with minimal telehealth use (6 vs 69). Day Treatment Centre encounters remained stable (3751 vs 3444, −8%). The proportion of new patients planned for palliative treatment decreased (35% vs 28%, P = 0.04), observation increased (16% vs 23%, P = 0.04) and curative intent treatment was unchanged (both 41%). Recruiting clinical trials decreased by one-third (45 vs 30), two trials were activated (vs 5 in 2019) and 45% fewer patients consented to trial participation (62 vs 34). Conclusion: Our medical oncology teams adapted rapidly to COVID-19 with significant changes to care provision, including fewer hospital admissions, a notable transition to telephone-based outpatient clinics and reduced clinical trial activity. The continuum of care was largely defended despite pandemic considerations and growing service volumes.
- Subject
- COVID-19; pandemics; medical oncology; health services; telehealth; SDG 3; Sustainable Development Goals
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1464186
- Identifier
- uon:46933
- Identifier
- ISSN:1444-0903
- Language
- eng
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