Utilization of the medical oncology pager and call center: Characterizing forgotten pillars of telemedicine in the digital era.

Abstract

518 Background: Oncology has entered the digital era, accompanied by changes in patient interactions and expectations involving telemedicine. While much emphasis is appropriately placed on digital interactions with patients, little is known about modern non-digital interactions with patients in oncology practices. Methods: We analyzed Medical Oncology Pager (MOP) data from 7/1/18 – 4/14/23, during which patients had access to the electronic health record and messaging capabilities. The MOP for Mayo Clinic (Rochester) is covered by the medical oncology fellows, including after hours (6PM – 7AM). It covers consults and direct patient calls after hours and during weekends, in addition to critical results back up and inpatient oncology matters at all times. We also analyzed Medical Oncology Call Center (MOCC) data since 6/1/22, which takes inbound patient calls during working hours (7AM – 6PM) and is staffed by appointment office employees. Results: The MOP received a total of 17,679 pages during the analyzed period for a mean of 10.1 pages per day. Of these, 6,319 pages occurred after hours. The most after-hours pages were received on Fridays (n=1,091) and the least on Sundays (n=701); of those years with fully available data, 2022 had the highest volume (n=1,405) (Table 1). When comparing the MOP activity pre-pandemic (7/1/18 – 3/10/20) and intra-pandemic (3/11/20 – 4/14/23), the mean number of after-hours pages per day was relatively stable with 3.47 pre-pandemic and 3.69 intra-pandemic. Since 6/1/22, the MOCC has averaged 6,464 inbound calls per month during working hours, each of which had an average talk time of approximately five minutes. The majority of inbound calls occur on Monday mornings between 9 – 11AM, with over 6,500 recorded throughout the previous year. Conclusions: Telemedicine is multi-faceted, comprised of both digital and non-digital patient interactions. We show that many oncology patients utilize telephone communication with the healthcare system despite increased availability of digital capabilities. These data have implications for addressing the digital divide for those with limited digital access, serving older patient populations unfamiliar with digital technologies, healthcare navigation, trainee responsibilities, and resource allocation. Further work and standardization in non-digital telemedicine is necessary as it remains a pillar of modern healthcare delivery and oncology practices.[Table: see text]