Authors: Tom Donnem Bente Ervik Kathrine Magnussen Sigve Andersen Doris Pastow Sissel Andreassen Tone Nørstad Nina Helbekkmo Roy M Bremnes Tone Nordoy
Publish Date: 2011/11/11
Volume: 20, Issue: 9, Pages: 2097-2103
Abstract
The University Hospital of North Norway UNN is a tertiarylevel hospital and has the main responsibility of providing specialized cancer health care in the remote area of Northern Norway Weekly videoconferences VCs have been established to enable clinicians at a local hospital and primary cancer health care providers in five different communities to discuss cases with specialist cancer care services at UNN In this study we aimed to evaluate the feasibility of these VCsDuring an 18month period 167 cases were discussed 101 patients A median of 7 health care providers participated in each VC According to the local physicians and nurses the VCs contributed in 96 of cases to give “quite a bit” or “very much” confidence in adequate patient care They reported that patient care in 85 of cases would be improved “quite a bit” or “very much” due to the VC The mean number of days waiting for VC were 20 days range 0–7 SD 20 and was significantly shorter P 0001 than the estimated time waiting if alternative consultations were to be used mean 102 days range 0–30 SD 58
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