The evolving role of telehealth in interprofessional radiation oncology service delivery: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND

Telehealth has the potential to be exploited in various elements of the radiation therapy workflow. It may have specific benefits in monitoring side effects, follow-up, and in providing equity of access to care to patients in rural settings. However, its implementation into routine radiation therapy practice requires consideration due to concerns with technology access and digital health literacy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this narrative review is to discuss the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the widespread use of telehealth in radiation therapy.

METHODOLOGY: Data for this review were gathered following PRISMA reporting guidelines. Data are described and evaluated, taking special note of perceived failures and/or suboptimal outcomes, enabling a discussion of telehealth practices to inform future planning and care in radiation therapy.

MAIN FINDINGS: Studies reported many elements pertaining to the use of telehealth in radiation therapy. Some of these include strengths such as convenience and satisfaction, drawbacks in technology and ability to conduct physical examinations, opportunities in accessible care and staff training and risks regarding finance and safety.

CONCLUSION

Telehealth provides many strengths and opportunities in radiation therapy workflow, but with some notable weaknesses and threats. Consideration of mitigation strategies for these obstacles is necessary before widespread telehealth implementation is considered in radiation therapy.