Oncological care organisation during COVID-19 outbreak

TY - JOUR

T1 - Oncological care organisation during COVID-19 outbreak

AU - Onesti, Concetta Elisa

AU - Rugo, Hope S

AU - Generali, Daniele

AU - Peeters, Marc

AU - Zaman, Khalil

AU - Wildiers, Hans

AU - Harbeck, Nadia

AU - Martin, Miguel

AU - Cristofanilli, Massimo

AU - Cortes, Javier

AU - Tjan-Heijnen, Vivianne

AU - Hurvitz, Sara A

AU - Berchem, Guy

AU - Tagliamento, Marco

AU - Campone, Mario

AU - Bartsch, Rupert

AU - De Placido, Sabino

AU - Puglisi, Fabio

AU - Rottey, Sylvie

AU - Müller, Volkmar

AU - Ruhstaller, Thomas

AU - Machiels, Jean-Pascal

AU - Conte, PierFranco

AU - Awada, Ahmad

AU - Jerusalem, Guy

N1 - © Author (s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology.

PY - 2020/8

Y1 - 2020/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: COVID-19 appeared in late 2019, causing a pandemic spread. This led to a reorganisation of oncology care in order to reduce the risk of spreading infection between patients and healthcare staff. Here we analysed measures taken in major oncological units in Europe and the USA.METHODS: A 46-item survey was sent by email to representatives of 30 oncological centres in 12 of the most affected countries. The survey inquired about preventive measures established to reduce virus spread, patient education and processes employed for risk reduction in each oncological unit.RESULTS: Investigators from 21 centres in 10 countries answered the survey between 10 April and 6 May 2020. A triage for patients with cancer before hospital or clinic visits was conducted by 90.5% of centres before consultations, 95.2% before day care admissions and in 100% of the cases before overnight hospitalisation by means of phone calls, interactive online platforms, swab test and/or chest CT scan. Permission for caregivers to attend clinic visits was limited in many centres, with some exceptions (ie, for non-autonomous patients, in the case of a new diagnosis, when bad news was expected and for terminally ill patients). With a variable delay period, the use of personal protective equipment was unanimously mandatory, and in many centres, only targeted clinical and instrumental examinations were performed. Telemedicine was implemented in 76.2% of the centres. Separated pathways for COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative patients were organised, with separate inpatient units and day care areas. Self-isolation was required for COVID-19-positive or symptomatic staff, while return to work policies required a negative swab test in 76.2% of the centres.CONCLUSION: Many pragmatic measures have been quickly implemented to deal with the health emergency linked to COVID-19, although the relative efficacy of each intervention should be further analysed in large observational studies.

AB - BACKGROUND: COVID-19 appeared in late 2019, causing a pandemic spread. This led to a reorganisation of oncology care in order to reduce the risk of spreading infection between patients and healthcare staff. Here we analysed measures taken in major oncological units in Europe and the USA.METHODS: A 46-item survey was sent by email to representatives of 30 oncological centres in 12 of the most affected countries. The survey inquired about preventive measures established to reduce virus spread, patient education and processes employed for risk reduction in each oncological unit.RESULTS: Investigators from 21 centres in 10 countries answered the survey between 10 April and 6 May 2020. A triage for patients with cancer before hospital or clinic visits was conducted by 90.5% of centres before consultations, 95.2% before day care admissions and in 100% of the cases before overnight hospitalisation by means of phone calls, interactive online platforms, swab test and/or chest CT scan. Permission for caregivers to attend clinic visits was limited in many centres, with some exceptions (ie, for non-autonomous patients, in the case of a new diagnosis, when bad news was expected and for terminally ill patients). With a variable delay period, the use of personal protective equipment was unanimously mandatory, and in many centres, only targeted clinical and instrumental examinations were performed. Telemedicine was implemented in 76.2% of the centres. Separated pathways for COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative patients were organised, with separate inpatient units and day care areas. Self-isolation was required for COVID-19-positive or symptomatic staff, while return to work policies required a negative swab test in 76.2% of the centres.CONCLUSION: Many pragmatic measures have been quickly implemented to deal with the health emergency linked to COVID-19, although the relative efficacy of each intervention should be further analysed in large observational studies.

KW - Betacoronavirus

KW - COVID-19

KW - Cancer Care Facilities/organization & administration

KW - Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis

KW - Delivery of Health Care

KW - Disinfection

KW - Europe/epidemiology

KW - Health Care Surveys

KW - Humans

KW - Medical Oncology/statistics & numerical data

KW - Neoplasms/therapy

KW - Pandemics/prevention & control

KW - Personal Protective Equipment

KW - Pneumonia, Viral/diagnosis

KW - SARS-CoV-2

KW - Triage

KW - United States/epidemiology

KW - Visitors to Patients

U2 - 10.1136/esmoopen-2020-000853

DO - 10.1136/esmoopen-2020-000853

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 32847836

VL - 5

JO - ESMO OPEN

JF - ESMO OPEN

SN - 2059-7029

IS - 4

ER -