Cancer care providers should prepare to increase clinical capacity as patients return for services after their care was disrupted by COVID-19.
While every organization is unique and will need to tailor clinical operations to their situation, below are practical strategies that cancer programs can deploy to position themselves for a successful pandemic recovery.
» Maximize telehealth for real-time patient care (nonemergent visits).
» Reduce on-site clinical encounters by using modified treatment plans (e.g., hypofractionationed radiation therapy) and shifting volumes to alternative care settings (e.g., oral oncolytics, in-home infusions).
» Scale-up ambulatory clinics to maximize capacity outside the hospital and be proactive about decanting volume from busy operational hubs; use remote care or satellite clinics when appropriate.
» Replace surgical procedures where appropriate alternatives exist (e.g., radioembolization, radio frequency ablation, cryoablation).
» Address bottlenecks in common spaces and diagnostic areas by extending operating hours or implementing time blocks.
» Incorporate social distancing measures (e.g., virtual reception, spaced-out infusion chairs, alternative patient queuing procedures).
» Ensure clinical operations are flexible given the likelihood of having to ramp up (and down) based on surge periods.
This is part of the COVID-19 oncology response series from ECG Management Consultants. For more information, visit ECG’s website.