Psycho-oncology Telehealth Recommendations

What are the Psycho-oncology Telehealth Recommendations?

The Psycho-oncology Telehealth Recommendations are the first of a kind in Australia.

They provide practical guidance for psycho-oncology clinicians conducting therapy via telehealth, including videoconference and telephone.

Importantly, the recommendations focus on therapeutic adaptations for telehealth in a psycho-oncology context, while also providing valuable information on practical, ethical and legal considerations.

Why were they developed?

Due to the rapid shift to telehealth in Australia in response to COVID-19, psycho-oncology clinicians were faced with conducting videoconference and telephone sessions with very little guidance or training.

A research study PoCoG conducted with psycho-oncology clinicians during COVID-19 highlighted that there was a need for information related to adaption of therapy approaches.

This guidance is particularly important given the unique challenges psycho-oncology clinicians face such as working with patients experiencing existential concerns.

Who developed them and how?

A national expert advisory group comprising psycho-oncology clinicians and researchers drawn from PoCoG members developed the core components for inclusion in the recommendations.

PoCoG then conducted a Delphi consensus process to develop this evidence-based recommendations resource.

What is covered in the recommendations?

The recommendations were developed for use by clinicians. The online resource includes clinical examples, script suggestions and resource links under the following categories:

  • Preparation for telehealth

  • Clinical and cultural considerations

  • Therapeutic adaptations (including in-depth case studies)

  • Specific client considerations

  • Clinician self-care

What’s next?

These recommendations provide much needed practical guidance for clinicians now and into the future, as the use of telehealth remains a large part of post-COVID-19 practice for many psycho-oncology clinicians.

Please feel free to download the recommendations and share with your networks.

A special thank you to…

The wonderful expert advisory group including: Jemma Gilchrist, Lisa Beatty, Laura Kirsten, Louise Sharpe, Nienke Zomerdijk, Maree Grier, Jane Turner, Kim Hobbs, Helen Haydon, Haryana Dhillon, Brian Kelly and Joanne Shaw on behalf of PoCoG. We would also like to thank the wider PoCoG membership for their input into the recommendations