title: Feasibility and acceptance of a pharmacist-run tele-oncology service for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in ambulatory cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of telemedicine for cancer patients is limited, particularly in Asia. These patients need to be monitored because more are being treated as outpatients, so that any treatment-related side effects can be managed. We assessed the feasibility and acceptance of a pharmacist-run tele-oncology service to monitor chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in ambulatory cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-center, prospective study was conducted at a local cancer center. Patients' CINV symptoms were monitored through short message service (SMS) for 5 days post-chemotherapy. Feasibility was measured by patients' adherence to the service, patient satisfaction, and number of pharmacist interventions. Acceptance was measured by the accrual rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The accrual rate was 37.6% (68/181 patients). Sixty patients (median age, 49.5 years) completed the study. Overall adherence was 73.3%. The majority (90.0%) were comfortable with the duration of SMS monitoring, especially adherent patients (95.5% versus 75.0%, p=0.038). Over half (61.7%) found the SMS advice useful. Twenty-two intervention calls were made by pharmacists for uncontrolled CINV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A pharmacist-run tele-oncology service for real-time monitoring of CINV is feasible in ambulatory cancer patients. Incorporating the monitoring of other side effects will enhance its value and acceptance by patients for post-chemotherapy symptom management.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digital Healthcare, WMG, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom. kevinyap.ehealth@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kevin Y-L
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: Hui X
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Ken S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Un
authors.forename: Vivianne
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010045:Outpatients; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services; D060946:Pharmaceutical Services, Online / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017216:Telemedicine; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents