The working group (WG) of the Society for Integrative Oncology, or SIO, a multidisciplinary professional society concerned with applying integrative medicine to cancer patients, has developed recommendations for telemedicine consultations for physicians and other therapists. Physicians and therapists can use the set of recommendations, which appeared in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer, to better plan and manage care and sessions with their patients.
For the published catalog of recommendations, the WG members evaluated the literature and conducted a survey of experts in the field of integrative medical oncology in 19 countries. The recommendation for telemedicine care takes into account, among other things, the skepticism and concerns of cancer patients and their relatives as well as friends and colleagues.
Beforehand, doctors and therapists must first check all the prerequisites and framework conditions for the telemedical consultation, both organizationally and technically. The handling of the technology and the equipment in the form of tablets are prerequisites for the success of the online consultation, which can also be filmed if necessary. A work plan is also the basis for good digital collaboration with the patient.
The experts of the WG point out that a precise structural plan can help to work calmly in the home and social environment. This includes a slow and comprehensible speech by the doctors and specialists and perhaps mindfulness exercises as a starting point. Caregivers should always be involved so that the patient does not feel overwhelmed. In addition, the doctor and therapist should build in sufficient buffer times so that the affected person has enough time for feedback and comprehension questions and feedback from his or her competent contact person, who should be available for him or her at all times.
Source: www.aerztblatt.de