How satisfied or dissatisfied have you been wit... - My Ovacome
How satisfied or dissatisfied have you been with your cancer care provided via remote appointments (compared to face-to-face appointments)?
OvacomeSupportPartnerMy Ovacome Team85 VotersHi all
Our chief executive is presenting to ESGO (European Society of Gynaecological Oncology) on patient experience of remote appointments. We are really keen to hear your thoughts on this topic and have created this poll to capture your views and experiences.
Please also consider leaving a comment to explain why you chose the score you did. We are very interested to hear what one thing you would like clinicians to know about remote appointments.
If you would like to speak to a member of our support team about this, please don’t hesitate to call us on 0800 008 7054, or message us directly on the forum.
Best wishes
Annie
Ovacome support
Most of my appointments have been over the phone since covid. I'm on maintenance Olaparib so mainly the appointments have just been simple questionnaires and blood results which I'm very happy to continue. I live very close to the hospital but if I had to travel a long distance phone appointments would be really helpful too.I have been offered face to face at times...for instance when I've felt I've had new symptoms and that has been reassuring.
I'm happy to continue with this mix of appointments.
Liz S
At the height of covid my appointments alternated with over the phone to actual attendance (could ask for phone appt only if weary of covid and hospital attendance), the most important thing for me is that I was listened to and appt made face2face if necessary, phone appts do work but some times patients simply want to see someone personally, it's important that both options are available where necessary.
the telephone appointments have not felt rushed. I was slotted in for a fast track face to face appointment following one call as the oncologist felt it necessary to conduct a physical assessment. Overall happy to continue with a mixture of calls and in person appointments.
Felt it was more likely that subtle signs could be missed or overlooked.
My appointments have been in person, although with restrictions due to covid. No one was allowed to accompany me. One doctor suggested I have my husband listen to the appointment on our cell phones, which was helpful.
,My treatment started in July just after covid lockdowns started,doctors and nurses at hospital were fantastic ,bch belfast,my own gp at health centre however was hopeless ,couldn't get hospital bloods done ,blood pressure monitoring no chance ,had to buy my own moniter ,hospital staff were so helpful and kind,always get back to you when you ring help line
I’m on maintenance therapy and live an hour away from the hospital so phone appointments save me a journey. However having a hearing disability is challenging and is just as difficult as face to face appointments wearing a mask. I’ve had excellent treatment and can contact the department at any time to request a face to face appointment if I’m worried. I’m happy to continue as I can get my bloods taken and go home rather than waiting for the results.
I had mostly face to face appointments with my oncologist and surgeon with an occasional telephone conversation. These were excellent I felt they both listened and it didn’t feel rushed. I voted ‘satisfied’ instead of ‘very satisfied’ because I felt the telephone contact did not give me the same energy to go on fighting as face to face. I was very satisfied with the mix however.
Since Covid 19 I have not seen my wonderful consultant, my appointments have all been via video consultations. Once I mastered how to sign in it was not much different to sitting with him in his surgery. I have my list of questions that I want to discuss and have never been made to feel that I am being rushed.As a top priority staying safe and protected are essential and although it would be lovely to see my consultant face to face from time to time I think video consultations are great and I am completely satisfied.
My entire experience has been since May this year so subject to certain Covid restrictions. My initial contact with the GP was via a phone consultation which triggered blood tests that day and a face to face follow up for the results later that week. Subsequent consultant appts were face to face up to and including post op follow up, and my husband able to attend with me. The initial oncologist appt was face to face with pre chemo phone consultations now in place. I have been hugely impressed by the way my case has been handled, from GP to local and regional MDTs, CNSs and now oncologist team. At no time have I felt disadvantaged by not seeing someone face to face as support has been readily available by phone. In the early stage during tests, having a nominated CNS available by phone or email made a huge difference at a time I was panicking about the whole thing.
I chose neutral because most of the time phone appointments are fine but I find they are rushed, it’s hard to get my oncologist to answer questions, whereas in his office I refuse to leave until I have the answers I need. Luckily I had a f2f when he was ordering my Parp inhibitors as he turned and said ‘you are not BRCA are you?’ But he had not read my notes! I am BRCA 1. Also have finally met my new CNS after 18 months!
I ticked dissatisfied.My cancer diagnosis and pre operation appointment with the surgeon were both face-to-face and I could bring my husband with me. My two appointments with the Oncologist before starting chemo were face to face and my husband attended too.
While on chemo my appointments with the Oncologist have been by telephone. Not offered any other method e.g. by video. I am deaf and wear hearing aids and I find the telephone consults difficult to hear and understand. They feel rushed and full of jargon and not conducive to discussing things and for me to raise any concerns. If it had to be remote appointments I would prefer it to be via video rather than telephone.
Only seen my first oncologist once and have never met my second opinion oncologist as the parp was prescribed by a lady who then moved abroad for a research project and referred me on to a colleague. So for 15 months I have had only phone consultations. The oncologists have all been very open and easy to talk to. Phone consultations are fine when everything is going well but left me feeling very abandoned on the four occasions when I have needed to talk to an oncologist about a problem. The first onc's secretary would phone back with the answer to one question but then I had to wait for the onc's monthly call if I had any more queries. The present onc is now only calling once every 2 months. When I have called his secretary and asked for a call from him she said he would call within 48 hours but he has not on either occasion. In addition my cancer nurse is not available at weekends. I understand that phone consultations save so much time for doctors and so much travelling for patients but it would be helpful to be able to see you onc when there is a problem.
It has been very convenient, & felt much safer, to have my 4 weekly Oncology appointments by phone. However, if I have never met the caller, (which happens quite frequently), I find that I am less likely to talk openly. I suspect that video calls would be easier, in that respect. Sometimes I feel the call is rather rushed. But, overall, I am so grateful that my appointments, treatments and scans have continued, without interruption, during the pandemic.
Because I'm on a Clinical Trial so am seen at least once monthly and can also communicate by email or phone.
All of my appointments with my oncologist have been face to face, and cannot imagine how difficult these would be over the telephone, i could do via Zoom or Teams (i think ) but know would have struggled on the telephone with the medical team. Only those with the nurse have been via the telephone and these have been fine
When appointment was kept by the hospital it was satisfactory. Two occasions appointment not kept and no apology received. I think it important to have face to face appointmentsevery 3 months at least
My experience has been made worse by the fact that I'm required to come in when something could be done on the phone and then am given phone appointments for wound checks. Or I'll get a text that an appointment is virtual and then receive a letter (usually at least two days after the appointment) saying I need to attend face to face.
Was happy not to go to a district where covid was a lot worse than it was in my area, but after 18 months needed to speak with my oncologist face to face. Arrangement now is, contact every three months. Will have face to face appointments every six months and telephone appointment every six months which I am comfortable with, unless covid gets in the way again.
I am currently NED and on Olaparib which I'd been on for a year before Coronavirus hit us. I've had blood tests done at home, telephone call with consultant and then the Olaparib couriered to me - so smooth and easy. Since Autumn 2020, I've gone to the hospital to do my blood tests and had a mix of telephone and face to face follow ups. Phone calls have been effective and not rushed. I did need to make contact with a concern at one point and she needed to speak to me about a concern at another point - both by telephone but I don't feel anything was lost. I think its given both my consultant and I the confidence to have phone calls some of the time and not always need a face to face. With my current stage of treatment, this seems appropriate.I have felt just as connected to my cancer hospital through covid as I am usually.
Thanks for being our voice.
I’ve never had a f-t-f follow up appointment so can’t compare from that aspect. However using clinic appointments during treatment as a guide, a bloods appointment and telephone consultation saves hours hanging around so I’m in favour.
My hospital is a train and 2 tube changes from my home or a £50+ return trip in an Uber so I have welcomed the phone system. I have still had to do the journey in order to have my bloods tested prior to the oncology call. I would REALLY appreciate being able to have bloods done locally at the GPS, a health centre, or the local hospital. In this day and age I see no reason why that couldn’t be arranged and the blood results shared. There still isn’t enough collaborative thinking in cancer care. Having said that I am so grateful to all the dedicated people that have cared for me since 2017. Our NHS is amazing.
Hi everyone
Thank you all so much for participating in our poll and for sharing your experiences. It was extremely valuable to have your insight and perspectives on this topic, which will also be used to help NHS clinicians to plan services. The ESGO presentation takes place on 31 October and we will be sure to update with feedback from the session soon afterwards.
Best wishes
Annie
Ovacome support
I have had 1 remote consultation so far, after chemo 2. This was fine but my next one will give me my scan results after 3 chemos letting me know how successfully things are going. For this one Im nervous and could do with my MacMillan nurse by my side. I have also noticed some changes in my body since chemo started and would really like my oncologist to see them and check me over
Hi there Loorunner
Thank you for your reply and for sharing your experiences with us.
I’m really sorry to hear you're feeling nervous about your upcoming remote appointment and wonder you’ve discussed this with your clinical team or oncologist's secretary? They may be able to advise whether a face-to-face appointment would be possible, so that you’re able to have a physical examination and for your CNS to be with you.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to talk this through. You can call our support line on 0800 008 7054 or message us directly through this forum. We’re here Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm.
Best wishes
Annie
Ovacome support
I have only had phone calls with my CNS since March 2020, every 8 weeks. I have to make a 1.5 hour round trip to get my bloods done a few days before (Niraparib) My GP surgery which is 5 mins away won’t support hospital bloods 🙄 if I say I have any worries she just goes ‘call me if it doesn’t go’. I think they are ok, but she can’t read my body language or see how I look which it what the oncologist used to do. I would love to see/video with my oncologist every other time (I would say I miss him, but don’t want to tempt fate!)
I am in hospital at moment but have had consistent, regular appointments via video cam at Marsden. I prefer these to face to face because it means my husband is able to join the meeting ( which he couldn't for face to face). Meeting run's as normal consultation. Has been very efficient and well organised and obviously safer during a pandemic.
