Hamad Medical Corporation’s Oncology and Lymphedema Physiotherapy team with Noora Rashid Al Mudahka, Chief of Physiotherapy.
Doha: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC’s) Oncology and Lymphedema Physiotherapy Department’s work to protect the vulnerable during COVID-19 has been featured in a prestigious international medical journal.
The article,” Physiotherapy Management Response for Lymphedema patients amid COVID-19 Pandemic in the State of Qatar: A Perspective Study,” has been accepted for publication by the Rehabilitation Oncology Journal – the official quarterly publication of the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).
During COVID-19, many of HMC’s usual face-to-face services were converted to telemedicine – phone and online consultations – to ensure patients had access to the care they needed. The Oncology and Lymphedema Outpatient Physiotherapy Department located at HMC’s Qatar Rehabilitation Institute (QRI) quickly pivoted and developed strategies for their patients.
Lymphedema refers to swelling that generally occurs in one of your arms or legs. Sometimes both arms or both legs swell. Lymphedema is most commonly caused by the removal of or damage to your lymph nodes as a part of cancer treatment.
“During COVID-19, we needed to work within Qatar’s restrictions and international guidelines for infection prevention and control of the spread of COVID-19. We also had to maintain the continuity of care for patients with cancer, who are uniquely vulnerable because of their susceptibility to infections as a consequence of systemic immunosuppression and chemotherapy, or during recovery from recent surgery,” said Noora Al Mudahka, Chief of Physiotherapy at HMC and one of the authors of the study.
“The majority of our patients have cancer-related lymphedema that occurs as a consequence of breast cancer and head and neck cancer surgical procedures or primary lymphedema, which has a huge effect on their health-related quality of life. As a result, we had to quickly respond to the restrictions and develop a plan for implementation during the pandemic to ensure the continuity of care and to meet the needs of this specific patient population,” said Mohamed Shafi, Head of Oncology and Lymphedema Physiotherapy Department.
Including Al Mudakha, the team involved in the study were Anita Sundrasekaran, Emad Abdelgawad Basher Abdalla, Sumaiya Sobani, and Mohamed Shafi.
Dr. Al Mudakha said the team’s experiences delivering care during COVID-19 and the study’s findings revolutionize how clinical care is delivered to patients with lymphedema during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our experience suggests that a hybrid system of face-to-face and tele/virtual consultations may provide an opportunity to improve accessibility to lymphedema care and reduce waiting time and may thereby become a sustainable model of care even after the pandemic,” she said.
