A pilot study of the physician acceptance of tele-oncology.
During the winter of 1993, medical oncologists from an urban, university-based hospital provided oncology care to rural patients using interactive video clinics (tele-oncology). In order to assess physician satisfaction with this form of outreach, surveys were performed after the video encounters, as well as after a limited number of subsequent clinical encounters on site. Various aspects of satisfaction were evaluated. Although the sample was small (a total of 41 clinical encounters and 3 oncologists), the results suggested that there was a reasonable level of physician satisfaction with, and confidence in, the use of video to replace some on-site oncology consultations. A definitive study of tele-oncology for providing care to rural cancer patients therefore appears to be warranted.
Allen
A
A
Department of Medicine, KUMC, Kansas City, KS 66160-7312, USA. aallen@ukanvm.cc.ukans.edu
Hayes
J
J
Sadasivan
R
R
Williamson
S K
SK
Wittman
C
C
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods*; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012424:Rural Population; D019113:Telepathology / Q000379:methods*