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Telehealth exploded at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as patients and providers scrambled to find safe, effective ways to receive and deliver care remotely. While its popularity has more recently receded, it is fair to say that telehealth is now an engrained component of our healthcare delivery system.
"Modern cancer care is all about coordinated care and access to subspecialists"
- Dr. Thomas Schwaab, Roswell Park Cancer Center
Cancer continues to be the second leading cause of death, with an estimated 1.9 million new diagnoses and 609,360 cancer deaths in the United States in 2022, according to the American Cancer Society. This statistic alone is astounding, with the number - 1.9 million -rivaling the population size of our largest cities. It would be like the entire population of Philadelphia being diagnosed with cancer or nearly all of Washington, D.C. passing away from it. And we are only talking about one year.
Often referred to as “tumor boards,” multidisciplinary cancer treatment planning conferences can help patients gather input from a diverse panel of experts to holistically inform their care. Specialists range from all areas of cancer treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, pathology, radiology, and genetics, among others. Review of complex or unusual cases in a tumor board is routine in most cancer centers and considered a marker of high-quality care.
Around 15-20 percent of patients in the United States live in rural areas. Unfortunately, between primary care shortages, hospital closures, and geographic isolation, those patients are up against significant barriers to accessing healthcare. The National Rural Health Association reports there are only 30 specialists per 100,000 people in rural communities, compared to 263 specialists per 100,000 urban residents.
