Table 2.

Pandemic plan for managing outpatients with cancer

Priority level and definition	Examples
A: Patients who require urgent assessment and treatment due to an unstable clinical presentation, life-threatening symptoms, or significant distress related to physical or psychological symptoms	-Patients with select ESAS scores ≥ 7 (pain, nausea, or shortness of breath) -Patients on or requiring continuous ambulatory delivery device pumps, methadone, or other interventions requiring specialist palliative care assessment or intervention -Patients exhibiting signs and symptoms of possible opioid toxicity -Patients with symptoms suggestive of an oncologic or non-oncologic emergency (e.g., spinal cord compression, bowel obstruction, SVC obstruction, pulmonary embolus)
B: Patients with non-critical needs	-Patients with ESAS scores ≥ 7 not included under Priority A -Patients with select ESAS scores ≥ 4 but < 7 (pain, nausea, shortness of breath) -Patients requiring assessment or management of ascites or pleural effusions, where an intervention (e.g., point-of-care ultrasound) may be provided in clinic
C: Patients for whom services can be delayed without an anticipated change in clinical outcomes	-Ambulatory patients who are stable seen in ongoing follow up (ESAS scores < 4) -Early palliative care referrals, including study patients