Abstract
BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally impacted the delivery of healthcare services globally. In line with UK government guidelines on social distancing, the use of telemedicine was implemented to facilitate the ongoing provision of cancer rehabilitation.PurposeWe sought to evaluate and co-design telemedicine services to meet the complex needs of our patients and carers at a tertiary cancer centre.MethodsExperience-based co-design methodology was adapted to include virtual methods. Staff members (n = 12) and patients (n = 11) who had delivered or received therapies services at our UK cancer centre since March 2020 were recruited to take part in one-to-one virtual interviews. Patient interviews were video recorded, analysed and edited to a 30-min “trigger film”. Patient and staff virtual events were undertaken thereafter. A joint virtual patient and staff event occurred. Staff and patients watched the trigger film and as partners, agreed areas for change and developed groups for service co-design.ResultsPositive aspects regarding telemedicine provision were highlighted including reduced financial and time burden on patients, and increased flexibility for both staff and patients. The key concerns included digital exclusion, safety, communication and patient choice. Four co-design groups have been established to enact changes in these priority areas.ConclusionUsing a participatory design approach, we have worked in partnership with patients and staff to ensure the safe, acceptable and effective delivery of rehabilitation services with integrated telemedicine.
Highlights
The majority of patients living with and beyond cancer will experience physical, cognitive and emotional impacts as a result of their cancer diagnosis and/or treatments received [1]
Patients and staff who met the eligibility criteria were invited to take part in in-depth semi structured interviews exploring their individual experiences of telemedicine rehabilitation services at the hospital since March 2020
We offer a hybrid approach with a mixture of faceto-face and telemedicine consultations
Summary
The majority of patients living with and beyond cancer will experience physical, cognitive and emotional impacts as a result of their cancer diagnosis and/or treatments received [1]. Rehabilitation services provide vital interventions for people aiming to reduce the potential impact of cancer and cancer treatments on physical, social, emotional and cognitive functioning [2]. Changes included the implementation of telemedicine services including video and telephone consultations, to ensure the ongoing provision of rehabilitation support and interventions. In line with UK government guidelines on social distancing, the use of telemedicine was implemented to facilitate the ongoing provision of cancer rehabilitation. Conclusion Using a participatory design approach, we have worked in partnership with patients and staff to ensure the safe, acceptable and effective delivery of rehabilitation services with integrated telemedicine
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