"The emergency relief funding and flexibilities from the Congress and the Trump Administration provided a lifeline for radiation oncology clinics. It will not be enough to sustain hard-hit practices that will continue to experience decreased treatments, however, as patient volumes likely decline further due to recent drops in cancer screenings, biopsies and surgeries. ASTRO continues to ask Congress and the Administration for more resources and direct financial assistance to support radiation therapy practices and the patients they serve," said Dr. DeWeese.
The majority of practices experienced staff reductions, due mainly to declines in patient volume (49%) and increased family care responsibilities (28%). Very few had reductions due to COVID-19 illness among staff members (11%).
This is the initial report of a longitudinal survey, and future reports will examine changes over time. Survey details are available in the Executive Summary.
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, a workgroup convened by ASTRO leadership issued clinical guidance for radiation oncology practices in mid-March. Resources include FAQs that address common questions and a summary of the recommendations. ASTRO also collaborated with the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) to publish guidelines for lung cancer radiotherapy and head and neck cancer radiotherapy during the pandemic.
Radiation oncologists shared their experiences and advice for patients and fellow providers via case reports and research in ASTRO's peer-reviewed journals, blog posts with provider stories, and webcasts including an update on radiation oncology care with the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and a discussion of cancer patient safety with the Infectious Disease Society of America.
"Although COVID-19 has presented us with unprecedented challenges and forced us to think anew, our goals as radiation oncologists remain unaltered," said Dr. DeWeese. "We stand resilient and ready to care for our patients, today and always."
ASTRO also continues to advocate for patients and practices on Capitol Hill, with emphases on PPE for medical providers, health insurance protections for patients, and direct financial aid for practices losing revenue due to declines in patient visits.
ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world's largest radiation oncology society , with more than 10,000 members who are physicians, nurses, biologists, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other health care professionals who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. The Society is dedicated to improving patient care through professional education and training, support for clinical practice and health policy standards, advancement of science and research, and advocacy. ASTRO publishes three medical journals, International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics, Practical Radiation Oncology and Advances in Radiation Oncology; developed and maintains an extensive patient website, RT Answers; and created the nonprofit foundation Radiation Oncology Institute.
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