Utilizing Tele-Oncology Services To Extend Cancer Care in Siouxland

To alleviate some of the pressure points caused by one of our greatest challenges over the last couple of years of recruiting oncologists, we partnered with Eagle Telemedicine back in July and started utilizing their tele-oncology service to provide our Cancer Center’s inpatient hospital medical oncologist coverage and our 24/7 call.

The term “telemedicine” is used when your appointment is focused on medical care (usually a doctor or nurse practitioner). “Telehealth” is used when the appointment offers more than just medical services, often from a wider range of providers.

“Tele-oncology” is the use of telehealth for cancer care. Tele-oncology uses advanced two-way technology including high-definition cameras, monitors, audio equipment, and an interactive stethoscope, pulse oximeter, and vital signs monitor to let an oncologist consult and conduct thorough medical examinations remotely with a patient.

Patients have been experiencing tele-oncology during their stay at the Sioux City hospitals since July. The remote oncologists from Eagle Telemedicine provide real-time evaluation, consult on treatments and follow-up options, monitor side effects, and work closely with our June E. Nylen Cancer Center nurses at the hospital in addition to our oncologists and staff back at our clinic.

While regular telehealth visits can be conducted on a laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone from your home, tele-oncology allows collaboration with onsite care team members at a designated site, like the hospital. Once the tele-oncology cart technology is connected, our onsite nurse interacts with the patient, their family members, and with the oncologist on the screen. The visit is just like any other medical visit with the ability to interact, ask questions, take notes, and talk about any concerns you have.

Telehealth is a significant and rapidly growing component of health care in the United States. Telehealth is an equalizer in healthcare meaning it has the power to bring access of highly skilled specialists to anyone 24/7, regardless of where they live.

Our telehealth partner, Eagle Telemedicine, has years of experience in multiple clinical settings and with multiple specialists across the nation. Tests have shown it’s equivalent to in-person care and that both patients and health professionals are satisfied with the experience.

“Change is difficult, but tele-oncology allows for our oncologists to maintain their focus on patients at the clinic while still providing safe and quality inpatient care for patients in the hospital,” says Dr. Donald Wender, Medical Oncologist and Medical Director at JENCC. “Our providers monitored and evaluated the first several tele-oncology appointments and continue to do so. Our designated inpatient hospital nurses work daily with the remote medical oncologists and attest to their expertise and quality interactions with patients and their family members. We’ve surveyed patients who have utilized the tele-oncology service and while they state they would prefer to have a doctor there in person, there was not anything negative about their experience.”

Krista McCullough, Executive Director at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center, adds, “The addition of tele-oncology to our practice has been effective and is allowing us to continue to provide quality and timely cancer care in our region. The tele-oncology doctors we work with are seasoned, board-certified oncologists and are empathic and effective communicators, skilled in “website manner” to specifically work with patients remotely. Our evaluations indicate they work well with our patients, hospital staff, and doctors and additional team members back at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center, providing seamless, superior oncology care during cancer patients' hospital stays.”

The Eagle Telemedicine tele-oncology doctors that we have credentialed and scheduled to provide the tele-oncology inpatient service include: