eHealth During a Pandemic
eHealth applications will become a more prevalent operational component of the standard of care. They will continue to be reliable methods to expedite patient–provider communication, meet surveillance milestones, and provide timely symptom management.
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This Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON) supplement concerning eHealth and clinical oncology care presents expert content on a vital, staple component of clinical care that has been propelled into widespread application because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authors began developing content for this supplement in August 2019. In February 2020, the content was finalized and the CJON production team started formatting it for publication.
Therefore, the development of this supplement’s expert content precedes extensive expansion of eHealth clinical care, which was prompted by the spread of COVID-19. Fortunately, before the supplement was printed, we were able to add information about the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services broadening access and coverage to Medicare telehealth services (updated as of March 2020) (see Figure 1). 
Rest assured, this CJON supplement about eHealth and clinical oncology care remains comprehensive, pertinent, and foundational to all oncology clinicians in practice.
Because of the effects of the virus that causes COVID-19, clinicians will, for the foreseeable future, practice in a different healthcare environment. Guidelines will continue to evolve to ensure that clinical care provided to patients with cancer remains safe and resolute.
eHealth applications will become a more prevalent operational component of the standard of care. They will continue to be reliable methods to expedite patient–provider communication, meet surveillance milestones, and provide timely symptom management.
Looking forward, clinicians will improve these eHealth platforms, refining their effectiveness and efficiencies.
Finally, speaking for CJON’s editorial and production teams, we salute all healthcare professionals providing life-saving and life-affirming care during this pandemic. We also proudly send special recognition to our oncology clinician colleagues, who, as always, provide expert clinical care to patients with cancer and their caregivers.
About the Author(s)
Ellen Carr, PhD, RN, AOCN®, is an oncology communications consultant in San Diego, CA. Carr can be reached at CJONEditor@ons.org.
