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Cited by 34Telemedicine and Telehealth ImplementationComplementary and Alternative Medicine StudiesCancer survivorship and care

The Society for Integrative Oncology Practice Recommendations for online consultation and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Ben-Arye, Eran, Paller, Channing J., Lopez, Ana Maria, White, Shelley, Pendleton, Eva, Kienle, Gunver S., Samuels, Noah, Abbawaajii, Nuria +1 more·2021·Supportive Care in Cancer
DOI 10.1007/s00520-021-06205-wPMC PMC8044504
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Abstract

Objective: The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) Online Task Force was created in response to the challenges facing continuity of integrative oncology care resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Task Force set out to guide integrative oncology practitioners in providing effective and safe online consultations and treatments for quality-of-life-concerns and symptom management. Online treatments include manual, acupuncture, movement, mind-body, herbal, and expressive art therapies. Methods: The SIO Online Practice Recommendations employed a four-phase consensus process: (1) literature review and discussion among an international panel of SIO members, identifying key elements essential in an integrative oncology visit; (2) development, testing, and refinement of a questionnaire defining challenges and strategies; (3) refinement input from integrative oncology experts from 19 countries; and (4) SIO Executive Committee review identifying the most high-priority challenges and strategies. Results: The SIO Online Practice Recommendations address ten challenges, providing practical suggestions for online treatment/consultation. These include overcoming unfamiliarity, addressing resistance among patients and healthcare practitioners to online consultation/treatment, exploring ethical and medical-legal aspects, solving technological issues, preparing the online treatment setting, starting the online treatment session, maintaining effective communication, promoting specific treatment effects, involving the caregiver, concluding the session, and ensuring continuity of care. Conclusions: The SIO Online Practice Recommendations are relevant for ensuring continuity of care beyond the present pandemic. They can be implemented for patients with limited accessibility to integrative oncology treatments due to geographic constraints, financial difficulties, physical disability, or an unsupportive caregiver. These recommendations require further study in practice settings.

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  • The online practice recommendations address 10 specific challenges, providing practical suggestions for online treatment and consultation.

    “These online practice recommendations address 10 specific challenges, providing practical suggestions for online treatment and consultation.”

    From Psychosocial and Integrative Oncology: Interventions Across the Disease Trajectory. (2023) · cites this paper as Ben-Arye et al. 2021

  • The SIO surveyed members and developed practice recommendations for delivering a range of integrative therapies online.

    “the SIO was quick to survey members and develop practice recommendations for delivering a range of integrative therapies online”

    From Psychosocial and Integrative Oncology: Interventions Across the Disease Trajectory. (2023) · cites this paper as Ben-Arye et al. 2021

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Ben-Arye, E., Paller, C. J., Lopez, A. M., White, S., Pendleton, E., Kienle, G. S., Samuels, N., Abbawaajii, N., & Balneaves, L. G.
Affiliations
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • University of Utah (US)
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (US)
  • Witten/Herdecke University (DE)
  • Tel Aviv University (IL)
  • University of Manitoba (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Supportive Care in Cancer
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-04-14
Volume
29
Issue
10
Pages
6155-6165
ISSN
  • 0941-4355 (ISSN-L)
  • 1433-7339
DOI
10.1007/s00520-021-06205-w
PMC
PMC8044504
OpenAlex
W3154188046
Cited by
34
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6
FWCI
1.34
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Supportive Care in Cancer (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
Keywords
integrative oncology, teleconsultation, telemedicine, COVID-19 pandemic, continuity of care, symptom management, quality of life, acupuncture, mind-body interventions, herbal medicine, expressive arts therapy, movement therapy, legal and ethical issues, caregiver involvement
MeSH terms
Integrative Oncology, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Humans, Neoplasms, Referral and Consultation, Pandemics

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