Out of office reply.

We all know the pandemic pushed us outside our comfort zones when it comes to caring for cancer patients virtually. What we don’t know is more than anecdotal data on how patients felt about it. Enter this detailed large-scale survey of patients receiving standard in-office (n=726) or telemedicine (n=351) radiation oncology consults at MSKCC between December 2019 and June 2020. Among these respondents who comprise 40% of those surveyed, there was no significant difference in satisfaction with numbers numerically favoring telemedicine versus in-office consultation. In fact, 45% preferred telemedicine as compared to 34% in-office with the remaining 21% having no preference. Predictably, those with a worse performance status or no partner (read: likely had difficult travel logistics) were significantly more likely to prefer a virtual appointment. TBL: Appropriately selected virtual radiation oncology consultations don’t have to compromise care and, in fact, may enhance it. | Shaverdian, J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2021