Review Article

Telehealth Interventions for Supportive Management and Early Recognition of Treatment-Related Symptoms in Patients With Hematologic Malignancies

Chasity Yajima, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, AOCNP®, Christi Bowe, DNP, APRN, ANP-C, NPD-BC, CPHQ, Diane Barber, PhD, APRN, ANP-BC, AOCNP®, FAANP, FAAN, and Joyce Dains, DrPH, JD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN

From The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

Authors’ disclosures of conflicts of interest are found at the end of this article.

Correspondence to: Chasity Yajima, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, AOCNP®, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: clidom@mdanderson.org

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The purposes of this literature review were to (1) establish the utility of supportive telehealth interventions focusing on early identification of treatment-related symptoms in adult patients with hematologic malignancies, with a secondary aim to (2) evaluate acceptability and feasibility. Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase. Dates searched were from January 2007 through December 2019. Inclusion criteria included a diagnosis of hematologic malignancy, incorporation of telehealth interventions, effects on physiological outcomes, and participants ages 18 or older. Articles were excluded if they were a duplicate, had an irrelevant title, or were an incomplete study. Results: Results indicated overall utility, acceptability, and feasibility of the interventions, including improved awareness of late and long-term therapy–related sequelae in survivorship, an overall decline in the number of chemotherapy delays with decreased rates in dose reductions, a means to further manage exercise remotely, and finally, improved communication between provider and patient with real-time management of acute and chronic treatment-related side effects using supportive telemetric interventions. Conclusion: Overall, the use of telehealth interventions in adult patients with hematologic malignancies positively impacts patient health, and telehealth interventions were found to be both accepted and feasible. Future studies should be directed at the role and involvement of the advanced practitioner, and current literature calls for well-planned studies as methodologic limitations remain in the evidence.

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