Telemedicine in The Context of Covid-19- A Qualitative Study of Cancer Patients and Clinicians

Background: Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, telemedicine was only used to deliver health care to patients living in remote areas of Australia. However, the spread of the Covid-19 virus pushed the widespread uptake of telemedicine across Australia, including in metropolitan regions. This qualitative study will explore the medical oncology (MO) patient and clinician experience of telemedicine in a metropolitan setting as a result of Covid-19. Method: Participants were selected and invited to participate by theoretical sampling from MO clinicians and patients attending MO clinics at Prince of Wales Hospital. Data was collected by in-depth semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was performed to analyse the interview data. Transcripts were coded using the grounded theory approach to identify overarching themes. Results: : Twelve participants were recruited to the study. Most participants viewed the adoption of telemedicine positively because it was considered as convenient, efficient and could be used in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Nonetheless, participants complained about the poor implementation of telemedicine, technical difficulties and lack of proper training. Finally, providers expressed mixed views over the lack of personal interaction and the lack of physical examination from telemedicine. However, both clinicians and patients viewed telemedicine as acceptable to be used in the context of routine follow-ups. Conclusion: Although some operational improvements are necessary, the role of telemedicine in the follow up of MO patients seems likely to continue beyond Covid-19.