Abstract
Telehealth is the delivery of many health care services and technologies to individuals at different geographical areas and is categorized as asynchronously or synchronously. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major disruptions in health care delivery to breast cancer (BCa) patients and there is increasing demand for telehealth services. Globally, telehealth has become an essential means of communication between patient and health care provider. The application of telehealth to the treatment of BCa patients is evolving and increasingly research has demonstrated its feasibility and effectiveness in improving clinical, psychological and social outcomes. Two areas of telehealth that have significantly grown in the past decade and particularly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are telerehabilitation and teleoncology. These two technological systems provide opportunities at every stage of the cancer care continuum for BCa patients. We conducted a literature review that examined the use of telehealth services via its various modes of delivery among BCa patients particularly in areas of screening, diagnosis, treatment modalities, as well as satisfaction among patients and health care professionals. The advantages of telehealth models of service and delivery challenges to patients in remote areas are discussed.
Highlights
Telehealth is the provision of numerous clinical and non-clinical services, and technologies to persons at various remote locations using information and telecommunication technology (ICT) [1]
We explored electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science for possibly pertinent studies using key words and subject headings such as: telehealth, teleoncology, telerehabilitation, telemedicine, health care services, coronavirus disease, management, video conferencing, web-based platforms, breast cancer patients, screening, diagnosis, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), treatment, modalities and satisfaction
Eighty eight (37.4%) of the 235 breast cancer patients received consultation via telehealth visit relating to post-surgical wound healing
Summary
Telehealth is the provision of numerous clinical and non-clinical services, and technologies to persons at various remote locations using information and telecommunication technology (ICT) [1]. ICT is used in telehealth to deliver clinical services such as screening, diagnosis and therapy. ICT is used for nonclinical services such as research, continuing education for health care professionals and health promotion. This results in the advancement of the health and wellbeing of persons, organizations and communities [1]. Telemedicine is a subcategory of telehealth that describes the use of telehealth technologies including electronic communication by health care providers to offer only remote clinical services to patients. Technologies including secured audio and video links are used for remote clinical appointments, follow-ups, expert consultations, medication management, acute and chronic disease management, and many other clinical services [2]
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