Innovations in Cardio-oncology Resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID pandemic has transformed our approach to patient care, research, and training in cardio-oncology. While the early phases of the COVID pandemic were exceptionally frightening, we now can reflect on the innovative changes that brought more effective and patient-centered care to our doorsteps: expansion of telemedicine, integration of digital health, wider adoption of cardiac biomarkers, consolidation, and coordination of cardio-oncology testing. Normally, it takes years for health care systems to adopt new technology or modify patient care pathways; however, COVID pushed healthcare providers and the health systems to change at warp speed. All of these innovations have improved our efficacy and provided a more "patient-centered" approach for our cardio-oncology patients. The changes we have made in cardio-oncology will likely remain well beyond the pandemic and continue to grow improving the cardiovascular care of oncology patients.

Keywords: Cardio-oncology; Digital health; Onco-cardiology; SARS-CoV-2; Telemedicine.

Fig. 1

Innovative changes in cardio-oncology during COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes in the clinical workflow and testing for COVID. Clinical practice has seen the expansion of telemedicine and integration of digital health to identify cardiac issues. To decrease burden and exposure, there has been a conscious effort to consolidate cardiac testing and in turn the adoption of more cardiac biomarkers in asymptomatic patients. Additionally, significant efforts have been made to coordinate cardio-oncology visits or testing when patients are already scheduled for infusion or other necessary testing (images from Shutterstock).