Satisfaction with telemedicine presentation at a multidisciplinary tumour meeting among patients with head and neck cancer

Abstract

Patients with head and neck cancer in the western part of Sweden are presented at a multidisciplinary tumour (MDT) meeting held once a week at the regional hospital in Göteborg. During a 13-month study period, 58 patients were presented via telemedicine; 45 of these patients (78%) answered a questionnaire. A face-to-face control group (the FTF group, n = 46) comprised patients from district hospitals not using telemedicine. These patients travelled to Göteborg for the MDT meeting; 39 of them (85%) answered the questionnaire. All patients were satisfied with the MDT meeting. Answers to two of the 10 questionnaire items differed significantly between the groups: the FTF group agreed that 'It felt as if everybody was talking about me, but not to me' more than did the telemedicine group, while the telemedicine group gave higher ratings for the item 'It felt good to have my doctor [the physician from the local hospital] by my side' than did the FTF group. Telemedicine was not experienced as a barrier and the patients expressed their confidence in taking part in these meetings in a familiar environment such as the local district hospital with their local otolaryngologist.