Use of Telemedicine in Care of Hematologic Malignancy Patients: Challenges and Opportunities

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: For nearly 20 years, oncology specialty practices have been working to integrate telemedicine technologies into standard patient care models. However, hematology practices have been slower to adopt telemedicine due to traditional care models that rely on interdisciplinary regional care centers and their ability to provide comprehensive and centralized services. Patients have traditionally been able to access high-quality medical care, diagnostics, supportive care, and clinical trials from these regional care centers, but they are required to attend frequent in-person visits to access these services. Rural and underserved patients experience more barriers than their urban counterparts to access the same level of care. RECENT FINDINGS: The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated telemedicine into the forefront of care, highlighting both promise and limitations to incorporating telemedicine into specialty hematology care. SUMMARY: Hematologists should consider the benefits of incorporating telemedicine technologies into standard-of-care practices to promote patient-centered care and provide equal access to all patient populations.