Conclusion:
The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the United States has led to
overburdening of the healthcare system and a cancellation of many
in-person patient visits. As a result, many practices have been turning
to telemedicine as an avenue for continued care for patients while
minimizing mutual risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. This approach, while
extremely useful, can be challenging for both the physician and patient,
particularly as this is a new mode of clinical evaluation for both
parties. Head and neck cancer surveillance is often challenging to
perform in person, and doing this virtually without being able to
educate patients on expectations can make the task even more difficult.
In order to mitigate many of these issues, we have provided a set of
guidelines for implementation of telehealth visits. We additionally
provide an easy-to-read handout which can be widely distributed to
patients to assist them in preparing for a virtual visit. Our hope is
that this can maximize the utility gained from telehealth visits for
both the physician and patient in the era of COVID-19 and beyond.
Full author list: Aman Prasad, BS1, Ryan Brewster, BA2, Jason G. Newman, MD3, Karthik Rajasekaran, MD3