Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare delivery worldwide, with studies showing decreased hospitalizations and procedures for acute conditions like stroke and myocardial infarctions. To mitigate the spread of the virus, many healthcare systems incorporated telemedicine for non-urgent clinical care, resulting in a decline in in-person visits for ambulatory, preventative, and emergency care. However, limited research has been conducted on the pandemic’s impact on cancer care delivery, particularly in hematologic malignancies.
This study, conducted by researchers from several institutions, including the University of Alabama, National Cancer Institute, Yale University School of Medicine, Huntsman Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania and Flatiron Health, aimed to determine the pandemic’s impact on in-person visit rates for various therapeutic subgroups in hematologic malignancies.
Why this matters
Hematologic malignancies require treatments that are given in face-to-face settings, such as inpatient or outpatient infusions, and may be more affected by "stay at home" orders or decreases in hospital capacity during global health crises like a pandemic. It is essential to understand how such situations can impact healthcare delivery and how new technologies like telemedicine can play a role in mitigating disruptions to oncologic care.