- Researchers from the American Society of Hematology found that allowing blood cancer patients to participate in virtual frailty examinations led to high levels of participation, accurate diagnoses, and limited exposure to COVID-19.
In a study published in Blood Advances, researchers created two cohorts: patients who completed the frailty exam virtually (185 patients) and others who completed the exam in person (876 patients). The virtual exam cohort included patients 73 years and older who completed the assessment between November 2020 and March 2022, while the in-person group consisted of patients 75 years and older who completed the exam in the same period. The evaluation of each cohort included assessing feasibility and safety levels.
Although frailty exams typically take place in person within a clinical setting, the COVID-19 pandemic created restrictions that limited in-person assessments.