Dr. Randall Gibb, a noted gynecologic oncologist and health care management consultant, urges female reproductive cancer patients to keep their appointments in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite cancer patients being immunocompromised, they need consistent treatment with the same doctor for the best outcome.
How COVID-19 Spreads
You can contract the virus by being in close contact with an infected individual or by touching surfaces containing respiratory droplets and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. If you have cancer, you can’t be too careful. The virus can linger on certain surfaces for days, but you’re more likely to become infected by a person with the virus. In many localities, officials have asked people to limit their travel to go to the grocery store, pharmacy or to medical appointments.
COVID-19’s Impact
The pandemic has changed healthcare. Hospitals are canceling elective surgeries, doctors are seeing patients in their cars in some communities and hospital emergency rooms are admitting only the most seriously ill patients. If you just discovered you have a gynecologic cancer, you will naturally worry how these changes will affect you. Rest assured, gynecologic oncologists are treating patients safely, making sure they get the care they need. The current restrictions will not compromise your care.
Doctor Visits
Oncologists are still seeing patients in person when necessary. This requires both the doctor and patient to wear personal protective equipment. Infection prevention must take precedence in a physician’s office. Gynecologic oncology patients have infection prevention needs that go beyond the minimum infection prevention needs recommended for a family doctor’s office. Depending on their geographic location and office setting, many oncologists ask patients to wait in their car until it is time for their appointment. They may also block off seats in their waiting room so no one sits close to anyone else.
Only the patient may enter the doctor’s office. People providing a ride or offering moral support have to wait in their car, or possibly in the waiting room. This can make patients with mobility issues wary of going in alone, however, clinics and cancer centers will have extra people on hand to assist them. Many patients in urban areas who take public transportation may worry about reaching their doctor as social distancing is challenging on a bus or train. If the only way you can get to an appointment or chemotherapy treatment is by public transportation, discuss the situation with your gynecologic oncologist.
Telemedicine
Telemedicine is an alternative to in-office doctor visits. Using special video chat software, doctors and patients can communicate in real-time with a broadband internet connection. You can’t use Skype or any other video chat software widely available apps that you would use to communicate with friends because they are not HIPAA-compliant. The doctor’s office provides the software you will need at no charge. Telephone appointments are also an option for patients without an Internet connection.
While oncologists may not have as many uses for telemedicine as family doctors do, they take advantage of telehealth. Teleheath includes discussing a recent diagnosis with patients and caregivers, who couldn’t come in the office under current COVID-19 practices. Telehealth can also include nutritional counseling and a screening for depression.
Cancer Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Healthcare for cancer patients continues, even during a pandemic. If you need routine chemotherapy, you will still receive it. Some cancer centers are using neoadjuvant chemotherapy to help delay surgery for ovarian cancer patients according to Dr. Randall Gibb. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is typically given before surgery to shrink a tumor, but using it to hold off surgery isn’t the normal standard of care in optimal circumstances.
Cancer patients need timely care so their cancer does not spread. Your gynecologic oncologist will discuss treatment will you, including the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus. The oncologist will decide if delaying treatment if a patient’s cancer is stable is an option.
Patient-Doctor Interactions
It’s important for cancer patients to have their care coordinated by one physician who acts as the point person. Receiving a cervical, uterine or ovarian cancer diagnosis is frightening. A gynecologic oncologist is trained to explain the treatment options with compassion and answer their patient’s questions. He or she will coordinate with the person’s primary care provider, who will go over any chronic conditions which could affect the patient’s cancer treatment or recovery.
Specialty Care
Dr. Randall Gibb stresses the need for women to see a specialist if they have a reproductive tract cancer. Gynecologic oncologists have unique skills, being trained in obstetrics and gynecology, then receiving training in all forms of cancer treatments. Numerous studies have proven women have better outcomes when they see a gynecologic oncologist as opposed to a general medical oncologist.
Most gynecologic oncologists practice at hospitals or hospital-affiliated cancer centers. The current COVID-19 pandemic may make visiting one challenging, but the improved survival rate is worth the effort.