Longitudinal Remote SBRT/SRS Training in Latin America: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Continuing medical education in stereotactic technology are scarcely accessible in developing countries. We report the results of upscaling a longitudinal telehealth training course on stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), after successfully developing a pilot course in Latin America. Methods: Longitudinal training on SBRT and SRS was provided to radiation oncology practitioners in Peru and Colombia at no cost. The program included sixteen weekly 1-hour live conferencing sessions with interactive didactics and a cloud-based platform for case-based learning. Participant-reported confidence was measured in 16 SBRT/SRS practical domains, based on a 1-to-5 Likert scale. Pre- and post-curriculum exams were required for participation credit. Knowledge-baseline, pre- and post-curriculum surveys, overall and single professional-group confidence changes, and exam results were assessed. Results: One hundred and seventy-three radiotherapy professionals participated. An average of 56 (SD ±18) attendees per session were registered. Fifty (29.7%) participants completed the pre- and post-curriculum surveys, of which 30% were radiation oncologists (RO), 26% radiation therapists (RTT), 20% residents, 18% medical physicists and 6% neurosurgeons. Significant improvements were found across all 16 domains with overall mean +0.55 (SD ±0.17, p<0.001) Likert-scale points. Significant improvements in individual competences were most common among medical physicists, RTT and residents. Pre- and post-curriculum exams yielded a mean 16.15/30 (53.8 ± 20.3%) and 23.6/30 (78.7 ± 19.3%) correct answers (p<0.001). Conclusion: Longitudinal telehealth training is an effective method for improving confidence and knowledge on SBRT/SRS amongst professionals. Remote continuing medical education should be widely adopted in lower-middle income countries.

Leveraging Telehealth and Medical Student Volunteers to Bridge Gaps in Education Access for Providers in Limited-Resource Settings.

PROBLEM: High-quality training opportunities for providers in limited-resource settings are often scarce or nonexistent. This can lead to a dearth of boots-on-the-ground workers capable of translating knowledge into effective action. The tested telehealth education model of Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) can help address this disparity. However, the planning and logistical coordination required can be limiting. APPROACH: Medical student volunteers interested in health disparities and global health can be leveraged to reduce the costs of administration for Project ECHO programs. From mid-2018 to present (2020), student organizations have been formed at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. These organizations have recruited and trained volunteers, who play an active role in assessing the needs of local clinics and providers, developing curricula, and coordinating the logistical aspects of programs. OUTCOMES: In the first 4 student-coordinated Project ECHO cohorts (2019-2020), 25 clinics in 14 countries participated, with a potential impact on over 20,000 cancer patients annually. Satisfaction with the telehealth education programs was high among local clinicians and expert educators. Students' perceived ability to conduct activities important to successfully orchestrating a telehealth education program was significantly greater among students who had coordinated one or more Project ECHO programs than among students who had yet to participate for 7 of 9 competencies. There also appears to be an additive effect of participating in additional Project ECHO programs on perceived confidence and career path intentions. NEXT STEPS: The student-led model of coordinating telehealth education programs described here can be readily expanded to medical schools across the nation and beyond. With continued expansion, efforts are needed to develop assessments that provide insights into participants' learning, track changes in patient outcomes, and provide continuing medical education credits to local clinicians.

Impact of High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy Training via Telehealth in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PURPOSE: Our objective was to demonstrate the efficacy of a telehealth training course on high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy for gynecologic cancer treatment for clinicians in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: A 12-week course consisting of 16 live video sessions was offered to 10 cancer centers in the Middle East, Africa, and Nepal. A total of 46 participants joined the course, and 22 participants, on average, attended each session. Radiation oncologists and medical physicists from 11 US and international institutions prepared and provided lectures for each topic covered in the course. Confidence surveys of 15 practical competencies were administered to participants before and after the course. Competencies focused on HDR commissioning, shielding, treatment planning, radiobiology, and applicators. Pre- and post-program surveys of provider confidence, measured by 5-point Likert scale, were administered and compared. RESULTS: Forty-six participants, including seven chief medical physicists, 16 senior medical physicists, five radiation oncologists, and three dosimetrists, representing nine countries attended education sessions. Reported confidence scores, both aggregate and paired, demonstrated increases in confidence in all 15 competencies. Post-curriculum score improvement was statistically significant (P < .05) for paired respondents in 11 of 15 domains. Absolute improvements were largest for confidence in applicator commissioning (2.3 to 3.8, P = .009), treatment planning system commissioning (2.2 to 3.9, P = .0055), and commissioning an HDR machine (2.2 to 4.0, P = .0031). Overall confidence in providing HDR brachytherapy services safely and teaching other providers increased from 3.1 to 3.8 and 3.0 to 3.5, respectively. CONCLUSION: A 12-week, low-cost telehealth training program on HDR brachytherapy improved confidence in treatment delivery and teaching for clinicians in 10 participating LMICs.

COVID's Impact on Radiation Oncology: A Latin American Survey Study.

PURPOSE: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latin American radiation therapy services has not yet been widely assessed. In comparison to centers in Europe or the United States, the scarcity of data on these terms might impair design of adequate measures to ameliorate the pandemic's potential damage. The first survey-based analysis revealing regional information is herein presented. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From May 6 to May 30, 2020, the American Society for Radiation Oncology's COVID-19 Survey was distributed across Latin America with support of the local national radiation therapy societies. Twenty-six items, including facility demographic and financial characteristics, personnel and patient features, current and expected impact of the pandemic, and research perspectives, were included in the questionnaire. RESULTS: Complete responses were obtained from 115 (50%) of 229 practices across 15 countries. Only 2.6% of centers closed during the pandemic. A median of 4 radiation oncologists (1-27) and 9 (1-100) radiation therapists were reported per center. The median number of new patients treated in 2019 was 600 (24-6200). A median 8% (1%-90%) decrease in patient volume was reported, with a median of 53 patients (1-490) remaining under treatment. Estimated revenue reduction was 20% or more in 53% of cases. Shortage of personal protective equipment was reported in 51.3% of centers, and 27% reported personnel shortage due to COVID-19. Reported delays in treatment for low-risk entities included early stage breast cancer (42.6%), low-risk status prostate cancer (67%), and nonmalignant conditions (42.6%). Treatment of COVID-19 patients at designated treatment times and differentiated bunkers were reported in 22.6% and 10.4% of centers, respectively. Telehealth initiatives have been started in 64.3% of facilities to date for on-treatment (29.6%) and posttreatment (34.8%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Regional information regarding COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America may help elucidate suitable intervention strategies for personnel and patients. Follow-up surveys will be performed to provide dynamic monitoring the pandemic's impact on radiation therapy services and adoption of ameliorating measures.