Virtual care models for cancer survivorship

Quynh Pham; Jason Hearn; Bruce Gao; Ian Brown; Robert J Hamilton; Alejandro Berlin; Joseph A Cafazzo; Andrew Feifer

doi:10.1038/s41746-020-00321-3

Virtual care models for cancer survivorship

NPJ Digit Med. 2020 Sep 2:3:113. doi: 10.1038/s41746-020-00321-3. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Quynh Pham^{1

2}, Jason Hearn^{1

3}, Bruce Gao⁴, Ian Brown^{5

6}, Robert J Hamilton^{4

7}, Alejandro Berlin^{8

9}, Joseph A Cafazzo^{1

2}, Andrew Feifer^{4

10}

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada.
² Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL Canada.
⁴ Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada.
⁵ Division of Urology, Niagara Health, Niagara, ON Canada.
⁶ Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON Canada.
⁷ Department of Surgical Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Center, University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada.
⁸ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada.
⁹ Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON Canada.
¹⁰ Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga, ON Canada.

Abstract

Virtual care models for cancer survivorship are needed to support patients living with the chronic effects of cancer treatment, while increasing health system capacity. Characteristics that may be critical to their success have not been adequately studied. This scoping review summarizes previous efforts to virtualize survivorship care to inform future innovations in the field. Four databases were searched for articles published before January 2020, and 24 articles that met selection criteria were included in this analysis. Rationale for pursuing virtual models of care shared two common objectives: (1) the need for sustainable survivorship care, and (2) the opportunity to improve survivorship outcomes. Breast cancer (N = 10) and prostate cancer (N = 4) were the most targeted cancers for virtual survivorship care. The implemented technologies included web platforms (N = 15), telephone calls (N = 12), and smartphone or tablet applications (N = 5). A variety of healthcare professionals were effectively involved in the provision of virtual care. Future virtual care models may benefit from integrating with existing health systems and services, repurposing common technologies, involving allied health professionals, and engaging patients and caregivers from diverse communities in the design of virtual services.

Keywords: Cancer models; Health services; Translational research.

Publication types

Review