Effectiveness of telemedicine use to improve patient outcome in cancer patients: A narrative review

Abstract

Background: Cancer as a chronic disease requires special attention and intensive care to all aspects of treatment. Besides, in a crisis like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine is beneficial for healthcare, including patient care in cancer. Objective: This review aims to explore the different types of telemedicine interventions that effectively improve patient outcomes and describe their effectiveness in improving these outcomes. Method: This study was a narrative review with articles retrieved from PubMed and Scopus databases according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Result: A total of 26 articles was analysed in this study. The most effective form of telemedicine was mHealth, followed by web or internet-based, with the majority of activities replaced by telemedicine being monitored and followed up. Conclusion: Telemedicine is effective in improving cancer patient outcomes. This study can be considered for telemedicine implementation in Indonesia.