Telemedicine Project Phase 2 – 2022: the Implementation and Integration of Telemedicine in the Cancer Care Continuum

Background

Telemedicine promises to revolutionize care pathways for cancer patients as modern health systems design and conceptualize new ways to manage the entire Cancer Care Continuum, moving from hospital-centered models of care to patient-centered, proximity-based approaches. The fundamental concept is that information and data move, not patients.

Prior to Covid-19, the world was experiencing an uneven spread of digital health practices, ranging from telemedicine to mobile health. The pandemic has undoubtedly produced an acceleration in the adoption of digital technologies, pushing regions and countries to consolidate projects already in the pipeline, or to move towards a first experience in the application of telemedicine to diagnosis, treatment and care, to limit waiting times and physical contact.

In this perspective, in collaboration with ASCO (American Society in Clinical Oncology), SPCC has launched the first phase of the Telemedicine in Cancer Care in 2021 project. The aim is to promote the topic of telemedicine from the state of the art and its tele-applications around the world, its potential, limitations, barriers and challenges, to the exploration of new frontiers.

The second phase of the project will focus on how to overcome both barriers and limitations, addressing new challenges through the sharing of best practices on telemedicine applications in the cancer care continuum. The goal is to create the best conditions to implement and integrate telemedicine applications to truly and effectively improve the cancer care pathway, first of all for patients and their relatives, but also for health systems, in terms of cost-effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability.

Project Goals

• To learn how to overcome both barriers and limitations
• To share best practices on telemedicine applications in the cancer care continuum
• To create the best conditions to implement and integrate telemedicine applications
• To improve the cancer care pathway for Cancer Patients
• To use telemedicine to improve care in terms of cost-effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability

Project Target Group

HCPs - Cancer Patients Organisations – Oncologists – Researchers - Medical Companies - Cancer Institutes – Universities - Healthcare Public Authorities - Regulatory Policy Bodies – Technological Institutes

Project Approach and Outcomes

The Telemedicine Project Phase 2 will consist of:

• A Project Review Conference
• A series of Educational Webinars
• A White Paper

The Conference and the Webinars will be free of charge and accessible to the audience by registering on SPCC's OncoCorner e-learning platform. The materials will remain available on-demand on OncoCorner.

Faculties, programmes and further information will be available soon.

Project Review Conference - 6/7 May 2022

A 2-day Online Conference (free access and CME accredited) with opinion leaders and experts (including speakers from Phase 1 and technical experts) to discuss the relevant issues, challenges and best practices, with a focus in the following areas: Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, Continuity of Care, Rehabilitation, Supportive Care.

A collegial discussion between faculty and participants was held at the end of each presentation.
The Online Conference is available on demand via https://www.oncocorner.net/online-events/49 

Six Article Reports (one for each project area) will be produced and published on the Cancerworld magazine.

First report on “Telemedicine in the cancer continuum: Lessons from the Covid area and progress towards oncological prevention”: please click here to read the full article.

Second report on “Telemedicine and diagnosis”: please click here to read the full article.

Third report on "Telemedicine on the path to personalised treatment": please, click here to read the full article.

Fourth report on "Telemedicine in the cancer continuum: the two digital dimensions of Continuity of Care": please, click here to read the full article.

Fifth report on "Telemedicine in Cancer Care Continuum: Supportive care, Value-based Medicine and Reimbursement of Innovation": please, click here to read the full article.

Sixth report on "Telemedicine Rehabilitation in the Cancer Care Continuum": please, click here to read the full article.

Educational Webinars

The Project Review Conference outcomes and other specific telemedicine applications will be further discussed during four live webinars. Four Article Reports (one after each webinar) will be produced and published on the Cancerworld magazine.

Webinar 1 – Digital Solutions in Cancer Care: from Prevention to Diagnosis
Live – 12 October 2022 – 18:00-19:15 CEST
Discussant: Rosanna Tarricone, IT
Speakers: Emmanuel Abara, CA – Oriana Ciani, IT – Sarah Zohar, FR
On demand via https://www.oncocorner.net/webinars/349
Cancerworld report available via: https://cancerworld.net/digital-solutions-in-cancer-care-from-prevention-to-diagnosis/

Webinar 2 – Telemedicine in Cancer Care: Treatment, Tele-oncology and Integrated Cancer Care
Live – 9 November 2022 – 18:00-19:15 CET
Discussant: Sana Al-Sukhun, JO
Speakers: Mark Lawler, IE – Waqas Ahmed, US – Martijn G.H. van Oijen, NL
On demand via https://www.oncocorner.net/webinars/362
Cancerworld report available via: https://cancerworld.net/telemedicine-in-cancer-care-treatment-tele-oncology-and-integrated-cancer-care/

Webinar 3 – Telemedicine in Cancer Care: Monitoring, Follow-Up, Tele-Rehabilitation, Palliative and Supportive Care
Live – 6 December 2022 – 13:00-14:15 CET
Discussant: Florian Scotté, FR
Speakers: Mario Di Palma, FR - Kathi Mooney, US - Marcalee Sipski Alexander, US
On demand via https://www.oncocorner.net/webinars/355
Cancerworld report available via: https://cancerworld.net/telemedicine-in-cancer-care-monitoring-follow-uptele-rehabilitation-palliative-and-supportive-care/

Webinar 4 – Telemedicine in Cancer Care: Patient Empowerment, Policy and Implementation
Live – 16 January 2023 – 18:00-19:15 CET
Discussant: Robin Zon, US
Speakers: Raymond Chan, AU – Debra A. Patt, US
On demand via https://www.oncocorner.net/webinars/356
Cancerworld report available via: https://cancerworld.net/telemedicine-in-cancer-care-patient-empowerment-policy-and-implementation/ 

White Paper

A White Paper including the results and highlights of Phase 1 and 2, with also industry perspective, will be published and disseminated among all Partners and Associations at global level.

The paper will focus on how to overpass major barriers and obstacles to have an effective implementation of Telemedicine applications in Cancer Care.