Continuing cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 in the Bronx, New York: experience from a public teaching hospital

Surabhi Pathak; Roshni Narurkar; Mohammed Hasan Khan; Bei Jiang; May Nyein Chann Soe; Caroline Hwang; Monica Muppidi; Wilbert S Aronow

doi:10.5114/aoms/136299

Continuing cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 in the Bronx, New York: experience from a public teaching hospital

Arch Med Sci. 2021 Apr 30;17(4):1109-1113. doi: 10.5114/aoms/136299. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Surabhi Pathak¹, Roshni Narurkar², Mohammed Hasan Khan³, Bei Jiang⁴, May Nyein Chann Soe⁴, Caroline Hwang¹, Monica Muppidi¹, Wilbert S Aronow³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Hematology-Oncology, New York City Health and Hospital Corporation/Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, the Bronx, New York, USA.
² Division of Hematology-Oncology, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA.
³ Department of Cardiology, Westchester Medical Center, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, USA.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, New York City Health and Hospital Corporation/Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, the Bronx, New York, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: We report our experience with cancer care delivery during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic in New York City.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the patients treated from the 1^st of March, 2020 to the 8^th of May, 2020.

Results: Team huddles, infection screening and patient selection strategies were implemented. One hundred and seventy patients were treated in 576 visits. Six developed severe COVID-19 requiring hospitalization, two died. Their median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 9, higher than the rest of the cohort.

Conclusions: Cancer care delivery is safe and feasible using an approach focused on careful patient selection, team communication and infection control.

Keywords: COVID-19; cancer care delivery; team huddle.