With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic during the spring of 2020, health care systems had to suddenly contend with new and significant challenges in providing care to cancer patients. During the most acute phases of the early pandemic, the Rossy Cancer Network (RCN) quickly adapted its operational activities to support overcoming gaps in cancer care and service at our partner hospitals. In brief, the RCN:
- Led procurement of telehealth hardware like webcams and headsets for all RCN sites
- Supported implementation of telehealth by providing training and hotline support to physicians, and helped with patient appointment scheduling
- Provided RCN staff onsite at hospitals to help with overcoming backlogs in administrative and clerical tasks
- Created online patient education materials for all RCN sites
- Accelerated remote distress screening through automation
- Developed and administered surveys to document and understand pandemic-related changes to oncology practice
- Provided project scoping and planning services for a digital wait room management solution
- Helped update clinical protocols, e.g., febrile neutropenia, to reflect COVID-19 symptoms
Furthermore, the RCN has played an active role in the McGill Task Force on the Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Control and Care. The Task Force’s primary mission is to prepare a contingency plan to mitigate risks for individuals with cancer in the McGill Health Network. The RCN has supported the Task Force in connecting with clinicians conducting COVID-19 and cancer related research, and procuring data for COVID-19 modeling studies.
As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved and continues to evolve, the RCN stands ready to lend its support to all RCN partner hospitals across the McGill Health Network in whatever capacity is required.
RCN Retreat video of Dr. Miller's presentation The Gerald Bronfman Department of Oncology Task Force on COVID-19