Telehealth Interventions for Supportive Management and Early Recognition of Treatment-Related Symptoms in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

Abstract

Purpose: The purposes of this literature review were to (1) establish the utility of supportive telehealth interventions focusing on early identification of treatment-related symptoms in adult patients with hematologic malignancies, with a secondary aim to (2) evaluate acceptability and feasibility. Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase. Dates searched were from January 2007 through December 2019. Inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of hematologic malignancy, incorporation of telehealth interventions, effects on physiological outcomes, and participants ages 18 or older. Articles were excluded if they were a duplicate, had an irrelevant title, or were an incomplete study. Results: Results indicated overall utility, acceptability, and feasibility of the interventions, including improved awareness of late and long-term therapy–related sequelae in survivorship, an overall decline in the number of chemotherapy delays with decreased rates in dose reductions, a means to further manage exercise remotely, and finally, improved communication between provider and patient with real-time management of acute and chronic treatment-related side effects using supportive telemetric interventions. Conclusion: Overall, the use of telehealth interventions in adult patients with hematologic malignancies positively impacts patient health, and telehealth interventions were found to be both accepted and feasible. Future studies should be directed at the role and involvement of the advanced practitioner, and current literature calls for well-planned studies as methodologic limitations remain in the evidence.

Phone contacts and treatment discontinuation predict survival cancer patients in a subsidized drug access program

“…One recent study found that patient-initiated emails are associated with a survival benefit among patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy [ 15 ], while another found that telephone follow-up of patients with cancer had a positive impact on clinical, psychological and quality of life dimensions [ 16 ]. A recent review also found that the use of telehealth interventions focusing on early identification of treatment-related symptoms in adults with hematologic malignancies positively impacted patient health, including an overall decline in chemotherapy delays, decreased rates of dose reductions and improved communication that supported real-time management of acute and chronic treatment-related side effects [ 17 ]. However, the primary studies and many of the studies evaluated in the review were conducted in countries with well developed economies and their relevance to the experience of patients in LMICs is under investigated.…”