Dataset Information

Telehealth follow-up consultations for melanoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patient and clinician satisfaction.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic caused rapid implementation of telehealth for melanoma follow-up care in Australia. This study explores Australian melanoma patients and clinicians' level of satisfaction with telehealth.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted across three specialist melanoma centres in Sydney, Australia. Melanoma patients (all stages) and clinicians completed mixed methods surveys seeking socio-demographic and clinical information and questionnaires to assess satisfaction with telehealth. Additionally, patients completed measures of quality of life, fear of cancer recurrence and trust in their oncologist. Patients and clinicians provided open-ended responses to qualitative questions about their perceptions of telehealth.

Results

One hundred and fifteen patients and 13 clinicians responded to surveys. Telephone was used by 109 (95%) patients and 11 (85%) clinicians. Fifty-seven (50%) patients and nine (69%) clinicians preferred face-to-face consultations, 38 (33%) patients and 3 (23%) clinicians preferred a combination of face-to-face and telehealth consultations. Five (4%) patients and nil clinicians preferred telehealth consultations. Patients diagnosed with early-stage melanoma, using telehealth for the first time, who have lower trust in their oncologist, and having higher care delivery, communication and supportive care concerns were likely to report lower satisfaction with telehealth. Open-ended responses were consistent between patients and clinicians, who reported safety, convenience and improved access to care as major benefits, while identifying personal, interpersonal, clinical and system-related disadvantages.

Discussion

While telehealth has been widely implemented during COVID-19, the benefits identified by patients and clinicians may extend past the pandemic. Telehealth may be considered for use in conjunction with face-to-face consultations to provide melanoma follow-up care.

SUBMITTER: Al-Rikaby A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10726917 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Telehealth follow-up consultations for melanoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patient and clinician satisfaction.

Al-Rikaby Ali A Sulaiman Ahmad A Thompson Jake R JR Saw Robyn P M RPM Boyle Frances F Taylor Nicole N Carlino Matteo S MS Morton Rachael L RL Nieweg Omgo E OE Thompson John F JF Bartula Iris I

Cancer medicine 20231106 23

<h4>Introduction</h4>The COVID-19 pandemic caused rapid implementation of telehealth for melanoma follow-up care in Australia. This study explores Australian melanoma patients and clinicians' level of satisfaction with telehealth.<h4>Methods</h4>A cross-sectional study was conducted across three specialist melanoma centres in Sydney, Australia. Melanoma patients (all stages) and clinicians completed mixed methods surveys seeking socio-demographic and clinical information and questionnaires to as ...[more]

PMID: 37930181

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Dataset Information

Telehealth follow-up consultations for melanoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patient and clinician satisfaction.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Discussion

Publications

Telehealth follow-up consultations for melanoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patient and clinician satisfaction.

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