Home Care for Cancer Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic: The Double Triage Protocol

J Pain Symptom Manage. 2020 Jul;60(1):e5-e7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.03.021. Epub 2020 Mar 31.

Abstract

Patients with cancer have an increased risk of developing severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019, and patients with advanced cancer who are followed at home represent a particularly frail population. Although with substantial differences, the challenges that cancer care professionals have to face during a pandemic are quite similar to those posed by natural disasters. We have already managed the oncological home care service in L'Aquila (middle Italy) after the 2009 earthquake. With this letter, we want to share the procedures and tools that we have started using at the home care service of the Tuscany Tumor Association during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; cancer; coronavirus; home care; palliative care.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Home Care Services*
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Palliative Care / methods
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Psychology, Clinical
  • Telemedicine / methods
  • Telephone
  • Triage