By Sophie Quinn
Cancer care in the past few years has gone through some positive changes, one of which is the rise in telemedicine.
Telemedicine is the fruit of digital transformation in medicine. Utilizing communication technologies, telemedicine has been used to improve access to specialty care in areas like rural America, and with great success. Its prevalence has led the majority of states to legislate parity laws that require insurance providers to cover and reimburse telemedicine visits. In fact, Mercer’s annual National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans revealed that 9 in 10 employers now provide telemedicine as health benefits, and that the number of patients that have used these options has increased sevenfold in Minnesota over the last couple of years.
The wide adoption of telehealth is due to its vast benefits. The speed and immediate attention it provide patients suffering from chronic diseases has saved countless lives.
Teleoncology: Connected care
Teleoncology, like other telehealth services, has various applications across different industries. Telepathology involves remote analysis and diagnosis based on television microscopy and such. It also caters to remote supervision, palliative care, and tele-education.
Mobile apps for patients provide them with personalized support systems, reminders to take their medication, and lifestyle advice. As technologies become more ubiquitous, telehealth applications continue to increase and develop. Wearable technologies aid in monitoring vital signs and hydration — both of which are critical for chemotherapy and radiation therapy patients.
Bridging the gap
The developments in teleoncology and telehealth services can also help in easing the gap between the number of health professionals and the demand for their services. This is an increasingly serious issue in the country with future predictions showing an ever-widening gap. In their jobs market outlook for the healthcare industry, Maryville University notes that the shortfall of primary care physicians is anticipated to reach a minimum of 100,000 by 2025, and that it’s expected to be greater in rural and inner city areas. That’s why more funding is being directed to schools and universities that offer health related courses, especially in rural regions. The University of Maine System received $500,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program to expand and update its long distance learning technology. With more funds going into online telemedicine education, practitioners specializing in this field can fill the shortage of healthcare workers.
Serving the underserved through technology
Teleoncology aims to bridge the current disparity in the distribution of cancer care specialists in the country. As oncologists tend to be based out of tertiary hospitals found in urban and periurban areas, there’s a relative scarcity of the profession in rural areas. A study from researchers at Columbia University on the distribution of gynecologic oncologists found that rural women aren’t likely to receive care from experts at all. They cite that projections from the American Society of Clinical Oncology point to a shortage in oncologists of about 2,550 to 4,080 by 2050.
The combination of the aging population and the projected shortfall of oncologists will hurt not only the patients but also the overworked cancer specialists. Teleoncology serves as a multiplier of sorts while minimizing the added burden of overreach in supply to oncologists. This also increases the quality of medical services provided to patients.
Enhanced communication
As noted by Scott Nelson, effective and open communication plays a role in stress reduction, pain control, recovery speed, and quality of life for cancer patients. The convenience, flexibility, and accessibility of doctors and professionals alone in teleoncology improves satisfaction among patients. Supplementary apps also help in making healthy habits more engaging.
The use of telehealth in cancer care also helps in making the best support and care available to as many patients as possible. Cancer treatment is complex and requires management decisions, counseling, and psychological support from multidisciplinary teams. Moreover, it also helps keep medical records updated and consultations to be simultaneously available between cancer care professionals.
While teleoncology should be treated as supplementary to face-to-face consultations with medical professionals, it has come a long way in filling in the gaps in the health industry. As more technologies integrate in the field of medicine, more life-saving applications of telemedicine are sure to unfold.
