Telemedicine in Radiation Oncology: A Single Institution's Experience in Times of War.

Abstract

One crucial use of telemedicine that is underreported is its role in providing health services in conflict-affected zones. The aim of this report is to describe the process and challenges of implementing a telemedicine-based radiation oncology (RO) clinic in a war zone in southern Lebanon, and to assess its effectiveness in providing care to patients with cancer residing in this unsafe, resource-limited area. After the outbreak of the Lebanese-Israeli war in October 2023, we had to shift our RO clinic in Nabatieh Governmental Hospital to an exclusively remote clinic without on-site physicians. Consultations, treatment planning, and follow-ups were conducted virtually by physicians at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Patient data and imaging were shared electronically between both hospitals, and treatment was administered locally by trained staff. From October 2023 to September 2024, 669 new patient consultations were completed remotely. Despite infrastructure limitations, including lack of electronic health records and occasional connectivity issues, we developed a model to ensure care continuity was largely maintained for the local patients with cancer. Telemedicine can serve as a tool for delivering cancer care in times of war, improving access and equity for underprivileged groups in the face of severe logistical and infrastructural challenges.