Rapid Conversion of a Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic to Telehealth

Abstract

Purpose: The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the practice of medicine, forcing a rapid transition to telehealth. As a specialty, palliative care relies upon expert-level communication and interdisciplinary care. We describe the transition of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute palliative care clinic into a predominantly telemedicine model.

Results: We document how we significantly increased goals of care conversations while maintaining patient volume and interdisciplinary care. We present how the components of a palliative visit translate into a virtual model.

Discussion: While the transition away from in person visits occurred rapidly, telehealth is likely here to stay. We define the challenges and benefits encountered through increased use of telehealth and identify disparities in healthcare access that will become more pronounced as we move into a communication technology dependent future. We discuss how the pandemic changed the delivery of palliative care in ways that will endure beyond the coronavirus pandemic.