Psychooncological care for patients with cancer during 12 months of the Covid‐19 pandemic: Views and experiences of senior psychooncologists at German Comprehensive Cancer Centers
Andreas Dinkel, Ute Goerling, Klaus Hönig, André Karger, Imad Maatouk, Andrea Petermann‐Meyer, Bianca Senf, Katharina Woellert, Alexander Wünsch, Tanja Zimmermann, Frank Schulz‐Kindermann
Abstract
Key points A monthly videoconference was maintained over 1 year, allowing senior psychooncologists from German Comprehensive Cancer Centers to discuss the implications of the Covid‐19 pandemic for psychooncological care. In the early phase of the pandemic, a widespread disruption of psychooncological services was noted. Rapidly developed adaptations of regular services worked well and sometimes brought about unexpected, creative solutions. In March 2021, the high numbers of infections, the occurrence of new variants of the coronavirus, and the slow progress in vaccination raise fears about new disruptions and restrictions in service provision. In coping with the pandemic, many therapists have felt like many cancer patients do feel in the process of coping with cancer, and this might help to better understand our patients.