medwireNews: ASCO has issued guidance to support oncology practices as they recommence more routine care following the gradual easing of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The document – entitled ASCO Special Report: A Guide to Cancer Care Delivery During the COVID-19 Pandemic – provides detailed guidance on the immediate and short-term steps that oncology practices can take to help reduce the risks for patients and healthcare staff as they resume diagnostics, treatments, and other services.
“The decision to dial-back operations during the pandemic has not been an easy one for any oncology practice or cancer care provider,” said ASCO President Howard “Skip” Burris III in a press release.
“While the move to resume normal operations will be slow and steady, we hope this report gives oncology practices the guidance they need to determine when and how to return to a ‘new normal’ as the impact of the pandemic begins to ease.”
The report is based on a review by ASCO clinical experts of policies and practices adopted or planned by cancer facilities as well as guidance issued by governmental agencies and medical societies, and it covers subjects ranging from best practices for triage and screening, to telemedicine and the diagnosis and care of cancer patients who acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection.
ASCO cautions, however, that “[p]ractices should consider internal cancer center and practice policies as well as state, medical board, and municipality regulations or guidance regarding practice operations, as circumstances vary widely across the United States.”
medwireNews is an independent medical news service provided by Springer Healthcare. © 2020 Springer Healthcare part of the Springer Nature Group
21 May 2020: The coronavirus pandemic is affecting all healthcare professionals across the globe. Medicine Matters’ focus, in this difficult time, is the dissemination of the latest data to support you in your research and clinical practice, based on the scientific literature. We will update the information we provide on the site, as the data are published. However, please refer to your own professional and governmental guidelines for the latest guidance in your own country.