Delivering cancer care in the COVID-19 era: Response and recovery strategies, clinical operations

While every organization is unique and will need to tailor clinical operations to their situation, below are practical strategies that cancer programs can deploy to position themselves for a successful pandemic recovery.

» Maximize telehealth for real-time patient care (nonemergent visits).

» Reduce on-site clinical encounters by using modified treatment plans (e.g., hypofractionationed radiation therapy) and shifting volumes to alternative care settings (e.g., oral oncolytics, in-home infusions).

» Scale-up ambulatory clinics to maximize capacity outside the hospital and be proactive about decanting volume from busy operational hubs; use remote care or satellite clinics when appropriate.

» Replace surgical procedures where appropriate alternatives exist (e.g., radioembolization, radio frequency ablation, cryoablation).

» Address bottlenecks in common spaces and diagnostic areas by extending operating hours or implementing time blocks.

» Incorporate social distancing measures (e.g., virtual reception, spaced-out infusion chairs, alternative patient queuing procedures).

» Ensure clinical operations are flexible given the likelihood of having to ramp up (and down) based on surge periods.

This is part of the COVID-19 oncology response series from ECG Management Consultants. For more information, visit ECG’s website.