Table 2.
Overview of the articles, themes, eHealth components, and interdisciplinary components of the included studies articles.
| Reference | Methodology | eHealth Component | Multidisciplinary Component |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme One: Data collection and accessibility | |||
| Raptis, D.A. et al., 2011 [35] | Qualitative | Developed web-based software on a Microsoft 2000 SQL Server database. The software design is available as open access and can be requested for free from the authors for implementation in any national health system worldwide. | Engaged with junior and senior doctors, specialist nurses, endoscopy unit, imaging department, the clinical risk management committee, and patients, in development of this system. |
| Simo, R.P. et al., 2009 [39] | Other | Integrated media presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint) presented in multidisciplinary team meetings 1. | Multidisciplinary head and neck meeting. |
| Theme Two: Virtual Multidisciplinary Teams | |||
| Fielding, R.M. et al., 2005 [22] | Qualitative | Using videoconferencing technology to conduct multidisciplinary team meetings with health professionals at different sites. | Connected breast multidisciplinary team 2 members. |
| Fitzpatrick, D.D. et al., 2012 [23] | Qualitative | Using videoconferencing technology to connect health professionals in order to conduct virtual consultations (VCP)s. | Connected radiation oncology and spinal surgery for the management of patients diagnosed with spinal cord compression. |
| Jalil, R.M. et al., 2013 [7] | Qualitative | Using videoconferencing technology in multidisciplinary team meetings. | Participants included urologists, gastrointestinal surgeons, oncologists, cancer nurses, radiologists and histopathologists. |
| Kunkler, I.H. et al., 2007 [28] | Cluster randomized controlled trial | Using videoconferencing technology to conduct multidisciplinary team meetings with health professionals at different sites. | Connected breast MDT: surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists, breast care nurses. |
| Kunkler, I.H. et al., 2005 [27] | Mixed | Using videoconferencing technology to conduct multidisciplinary team meetings with health professionals at different sites. | Connected breast multidisciplinary team: surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists, breast care nurses. |
| Li, J. and Robertson, T. 2011 [29] | Qualitative | Using videoconferencing technology in multidisciplinary team meetings. | Connected multidisciplinary team: surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, psychologists, oncology nurses and social worker. |
| Murad, M. et al., 2014 [31] | Other | Using videoconferencing technology in multidisciplinary team meetings. | Connected multidisciplinary teams: surgeons, radiologists, histopathologists and oncologists. |
| Murthy, V. et al., 2014 [32] | Mixed | Using videoconferencing technology in multidisciplinary team meetings | Connected breast multidisciplinary teams: breast surgeons, plastic surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, residents, medical students and nurses. |
| Robertson, T. et al., 2010 [36] | Qualitative | Using videoconferencing technology in multidisciplinary team meetings. | Connected breast multidisciplinary team members. |
| Shea, C.M. et al., 2014 [38] | Qualitative | Using videoconferencing technology in Multidisciplinary team meetings. | Connected multidisciplinary team members. |
| Stalfors, J. et al., 2005 [40] | Other | Using videoconferencing technology in Multidisciplinary team meetings | Multidisciplinary team members included specialists in oncology, radiology and pathology. When appropriate, specialists in dental surgery, oral surgery, general surgery, thoracic surgery, dietetics and other specialists are engaged. Patients attend unless too unwell or follow-up case presentation. |
| Stevens, G.J. et al., 2012 [41] | Other | Using videoconferencing technology to conduct Multidisciplinary team meetings with health professionals at different sites. | Connected multidisciplinary team members: respiratory physicians, thoracic surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and a diagnostic radiologist. |
| Theme Three: Communication between individuals involved in the delivery of health services | |||
| DuBenske, L.L. et al., 2010 [20] | Other | An online interactive health communication system (IHCS) to bridge the communication gaps that occur among patients, family, and clinicians and to empower each to actively engage in cancer care and shared decision making. IHCS can facilitate discussions amongst multiple disciplines within a single forum. | Engaged doctors, patients, carers, other relevant health professionals. |
| Kamal, R.C. et al., 2012 [26] | Other | A smartphone on the body that controls an in vivo sensor network deployed for use in hyperthermia, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The smartphone schedules temperature using an algorithm and provides subscriber, publisher, broker role, and cluster information to all in vivo nodes, and receives subscription or notification confirmation from other in vivo nodesvia Bluetooth or Zigbee technology using an area network. The smartphone updates the electronic health record (EHR 3)/patient health record (PHR), prior to and after treatment. The smartphone application was implemented in Android SDK version 4.0 and the doctor’s panel for the CTCU with a web interface. | Enables communication between local clinicians and remote experts of different treatment modalities. Local clinician inputs cancer type and position in the local cancer treatment control unit (CTCU), and a hypervisor ascertains experts on hyperthermia, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. It then communicates with the remote CTCU to connect to remote experts through a smartphone. Remote experts recommend drug measurement, radiation measurement, and heating temperature to the smartphone kept near the patient. |
| Morton, C.A. et al., 2011 [30] | Qualitative | Photo-triage for suspected skin cancers. High-quality close-up dermascopic images are taken in primary care location. These are then sent to specialist for review, so patients can be triaged in to specific treatment clinics. | Connected primary care providers and dermatology specialist. |
| Sada, Y.H. et al., 2011 [37] | Qualitative | Three integrated health systems that used electronic health records (EHRs). | Connected patients, oncologists and other physicians. |
| Van den Brink, J. et al., 2005 [42] | Qualitative | Electronic health information support system. | Connected head and neck cancer patients, hospital physicians, members of a hospital-based support team, GPs, district nurses and speech therapists. |
| Theme Four: Communication pathways between patients and cancer care teams | |||
| Browder, C.J. et al., 2015 [18] | Other | Case study evaluating the information systems, personnel, and processes involved in mobile mammography settings. | Involved interviews with participants from a hospital involved in mammography included nurses and radiologists. |
| Clark, K.W. et al., 2009 [19] | Qualitative | Technology to support real-time communication between patients and health care team regarding psychosocial problem-related distress. Uses touch-screen technology. | Involved Information Communication Technology experts, nurses, doctors, social workers, statisticians in development of the program. |
| Gordon, J. and Gruber, M. 2012 [24] | Qualitative | Use of virtual visits by health professionals to care for patients attending chemo infusion centers. Technology used for tele-dermatology to maintain the continuity of the patients’ care when moving between primary and tertiary care. | Involved multidisciplinary team comprising of clinical, administrative, planning, and other representatives charged to identify and develop a location that would provide oncology care for patient’s closer to home and improve the patients’ experience. |
| Head, B.A. et al., 2009 [25] | Other | A telehealth intervention to address isolation, develop patient self-efficacy, and improve symptom management during the treatment experience. Health Buddy®, a product of the Health Hero Network (Palo Alto, CA, USA), was the appliance chosen to communicate the intervention algorithms. | Involved multidisciplinary team members: surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists as well as representatives from nursing, social work, psychology, speech therapy, and nutrition therapy. |
| Theme Five: Health professional led change | |||
| Evans, W.K. et al., 2014 [21] | Qualitative | Development of a regional oncology information system for sharing information and patient data. | Involved consultation with various health professionals and workplace managers and executives. |
| Nwagwu, W.E. et al., 2013 [33] | Other | Case study exploring the way of Information Communication Technology in cancer care facilitate health information sharing. Included looking at Information Communication Technologies at point of care, electronic health records, clinical decision support tools, and order entry systems. | A cancer care group made up of health professionals from relevant disciplines such as nurses, physiotherapists, health psychologists, physicians, occupational therapists, lay public, lawyers and pharmacists among others, all serving as volunteers. |
| Oborn, E.M. et al., 2011 [34] | Qualitative | A web-based clinical information system (SubSys) was implemented. SubSys was used to record cancer-related information pertaining to patients seen in the clinics. | Engaged multidisciplinary team: surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and nurse specialists |
1 MDTM—Multidisciplinary Team Meeting; 2 MDT—Multidisciplinary Team; 3 HER—Electronic Health Record.