Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34047023›Full record

ArticleInternal medicine journal2021

Business as unusual: medical oncology services adapt and deliver during COVID-19.

Avraham Travers, Kim Adler, Gillian Blanchard, Tony Bonaventura, Julie Charlton, Fiona Day, Laura Healey, Sang Kim, Janine Lombard, Girish Mallesara and 13 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Internal medicine journal, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Reimagining consumer involvement: Resilient system indicators in the COVID-19 pandemic response in New South Wales, Australia.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2022
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

23 authors.

Avraham TraversDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-4955-7745
Kim AdlerMedical Oncology Trial Unit, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Gillian BlanchardDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Tony BonaventuraDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Julie CharltonEpic Pharmacy Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Fiona DayDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Laura HealeyDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Sang KimDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Janine LombardDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Girish MallesaraDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Hiren MandaliyaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Vishal NavaniDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Ina NordmanDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Robin PatersonDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Louise PlowmanMedical Oncology Trial Unit, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Gaik Tin QuahDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Michael ScalleyNewcastle Private Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Prajwol ShresthaDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Bharti TailorClinical Systems Team, Hunter New England Local Health District, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Andre van der WesthuizenDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Betty ZhangDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Craig GedyeDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
James LynamDepartment of Medical Oncology, Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has challenged cancer care globally, introducing resource limitations and competing risks into clinical practice.

aimsTo describe the COVID-19 impact on medical oncology care provision in an Australian setting.

methodsCalvary Mater Newcastle and Newcastle Private Hospital medical oncology data from 1 February to 31 April 2019 versus 2020 were retrospectively analysed.

resultsThree hundred and sixty-four inpatient admissions occurred in 2020, 21% less than in 2019. Total inpatient days decreased by 22% (2842 vs 2203). April was most impacted (36% and 44% fewer admissions and inpatient days respectively). Mean length of stay remained unchanged (6.4 vs 6.2 days, P = 0.7). In all, 5072 outpatient consultations were conducted, including 417 new-patient consultations (4% and 6% increase on 2019 respectively). Telephone consultations (0 vs 1380) replaced one-quarter of face-to-face consultations (4859 vs 3623, -25%), with minimal telehealth use (6 vs 69). Day Treatment Centre encounters remained stable (3751 vs 3444, -8%). The proportion of new patients planned for palliative treatment decreased (35% vs 28%, P = 0.04), observation increased (16% vs 23%, P = 0.04) and curative intent treatment was unchanged (both 41%). Recruiting clinical trials decreased by one-third (45 vs 30), two trials were activated (vs 5 in 2019) and 45% fewer patients consented to trial participation (62 vs 34).

conclusionOur medical oncology teams adapted rapidly to COVID-19 with significant changes to care provision, including fewer hospital admissions, a notable transition to telephone-based outpatient clinics and reduced clinical trial activity. The continuum of care was largely defended despite pandemic considerations and growing service volumes.

Indexed as

COVID-19TelemedicineAustraliaHumansMedical OncologyPandemicsRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2COVID-19health servicesmedical oncologypandemicstelehealth

Identifiers

PMID34047023
PMCPMC8206831

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.