April 15, 2020

COVID-19 and the Cancer Clinic

An oncologist struggles with social distancing's impact on patients

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For physician and patient, a clinical visit is more than an exchange of medical information. The physical connections made during an examination — a welcoming handshake, the gentle palpation of a painful area, the supportive touch while listening with a stethoscope — help establish and reinforce the bond of trust that’s vital for what may be a long and difficult treatment journey.

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The social distancing necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated doctor-patient interactions, and possibly nowhere as much as in the practice of oncology. Immunosuppressed patients face a heightened risk of infections, and the novel coronavirus has further altered the risk/benefit calculation of an in-person appointment.

“For some patients, I can schedule a virtual visit,” Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center hematologist/oncologist Mikkael Sekeres, MD, MS, writes in his latest New York Times column. “But I can’t draw a patient’s labs to look for leukemia over Skype. Zoom doesn’t have the functionality to transfuse blood.”

Read the full column here to learn how Dr. Sekeres is navigating these difficult situations. You can also follow him on Twitter: @MikkaelSekeres.

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