People living with cancer and caregivers

Preparing for Virtual Care: Making the most of your time and space

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team, and some setup can go a long way in helping you have a positive experience.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out.]

VO: Making the most of when and where you have your appointment is an important part.

[The main character turns and walks to the right side of the screen. An open door appears and they walk through it.]

VO: You may not be able to choose when you have your appointment, but here are some things you can do to prepare.

[The main character walks to a desk with a laptop. They open the laptop and then look at their watch.]

VO: Try not to plan other commitments right before or after your virtual care appointment. You could use this time to relax and focus.

[As the main character stands in front of their laptop, a thought bubble appears to their left. In the thought bubble, there is a page from an appointment book with many meetings and other commitments on it. The thought bubble disappears.]

VO: Talk to your employer about changing your work schedule that day if you need to.

[The screen splits down the middle. The main character is on the right. The left side of the screen shows what the main character is thinking. They imagine talking to their employer about their schedule. Both the main character and their employer look satisfied. The split screen fades out.]

VO: You may want to ask someone to help you with some of your daily responsibilities so you can make time for your appointment.

[The view returns to the main character at their desk. A new thought bubble appears to their left. There is a list in the thought bubble. As the voice-over speaks, checkmarks appear next to several of the items on the list. The thought bubble fades out.]

VO: Try to have your appointment in a quiet, private place. This might be at home, in a private space in your local library or in a quiet corner of a coffee shop.

[As the voice-over speaks, 3 circles appear next to the main character. The first circle has a house in it. The second circle has a library building in it. The third bubble has a coffee shop in it. The circles with the house and coffee shop in them fade out. The background transforms into a library setting with a wall of bookshelves and a closed door behind the main character. The circle with the library in it fades out.]

VO: If you can, remove anything that may be noisy or distracting. This may mean turning off your cellphone or closing the door to the space you’re in.

[The focus zooms in on the main character in front of their laptop. They are now in a quiet, private space at the library. A cellphone appears on the desk. It vibrates and the main character turns it off.]

VO: It won’t always be possible to have your virtual care appointment at the perfect time or in the perfect space. Try your best. If you need help, your healthcare team, your caregiver or someone else close to you can support you.

[The focus zooms out to show more of the room around the main character. Their caregiver comes to their side and puts a comforting hand on the main character’s shoulder. They look at each other and smile. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]

Preparing for Virtual Care: Testing technology

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team. Making sure your technology is ready in advance can help make the experience as smooth as possible.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out.]

VO: Your healthcare team may have given you information on how to connect with them virtually, such as by phone, video call or another way.

[The main character turns and walks to the right side of the screen. An open door appears and they walk through it. The door disappears and as the main character continues walking from the left, a stack of papers slides in from the right. The paper on the top of the pile has the words “Getting ready for your appointment” on it.]

VO: It’s important to review the information, so you know you have everything you need and how to use it.

[Another piece of paper slides down from the top, covering the pile. It has images of laptop, headphones, a cellphone and a speaker or sound icon. Each image has a blank checkbox below it. Red checkmarks appear on the checkboxes below the laptop and the headphones, suggesting the main character has these items ready for their virtual care appointment.]

VO: You’ll need a reliable internet connection or phone service to make sure your appointment isn’t interrupted.

[The papers slide off to the right and the main character moves to the middle of the screen. A bubble appears on either side of them. There is a laptop and tablet with symbols showing a strong wifi connection in the left bubble. In the right bubble, there is a cellphone showing text messages and 4 bars indicating a strong cell connection. The scene ends.]

VO: If your home internet connection is slow or not always reliable, you may want to ask other members of your household to stay off the internet during your appointment.

[The main character is at home. They walk into the living room from the left and find a young family member sitting on the couch, using a tablet. The family member has their arm around a cat and they look relaxed. Speech bubbles appear above the main character and the family member, and then the family member turns off their tablet. The scene ends.]

VO: If you don’t have internet access at home, ask your caregiver, a friend or a family member if they can help. They may be able to find a place with a good connection to use, such as a library or community centre.

[A jagged line splits the screen in half. The main character walks in from the right as their caregiver walks in from the left. They are each holding a phone with sound lines coming from it, indicating they are on a call with each other. A wifi symbol appears in a bubble on the middle of a jagged line. A bubble appears below it with a library in it, and another bubble with a community centre in it appears above. The scene ends.]

VO: You may also be able to use a computer or other device at the library.

[The main character is at the library. They walk up to a desk that has a monitor, webcam, headphones, mouse and keyboard on it. The librarian shows them how to use the equipment.]

VO: Sometimes, even when you prepare as much as possible, technical issues happen.

[The librarian disappears and the main character is alone at the desk. A bubble pops up showing a strong wifi connection. Suddenly, the bars become blank, indicating the connection has been lost. The main character looks worried. The scene ends.]

VO: Don’t worry. Remember that your healthcare team is there to support you. If you’re having trouble with technology or are concerned about connecting, let them know before your virtual care appointment so you can find a solution together.

[A jagged line splits the screen in half. Members of the healthcare team are on the right. The doctor is on the phone at their desk while the other member of the team stands beside them with the main character’s patient file in their hand. The main character walks in from the left, holding their cellphone as they talk to the doctor. Everyone looks content. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]

Preparing for Virtual Care: Remembering the important stuff

Voice-over (VO): Virtual cancer care appointments can be a great way to connect with your healthcare team. There are things you can do before and during your appointment to help you remember the important stuff and have the best experience possible.

[The main character walks on screen from the right. They are preparing for their virtual cancer care appointment. An oversized laptop slides in from the left. Members of the healthcare team wave from the screen of the laptop. The main character waves back. Then the laptop fades out, and the main character turns and walks through a door to the right. The scene ends.]

VO: If you can, take some time before the appointment to write down your questions, your symptoms, and your medicines and their doses. Have those notes with you during your virtual care appointment.

[The main character slides in from the left, holding a piece of paper and a pen. A larger version of the paper they are holding appears on the right. As the main character writes on the page they are holding, scribbled lines appear next to empty checkboxes on the larger version of the paper. Red checkmarks appear in the first 2 boxes, indicating the main character is checking things off their list ahead of their virtual care appointment. The scene ends.]

VO: Don’t worry if you forgot to include something in your notes. Try to focus on the conversation.

[A jagged line splits the screen in half. On the right, the doctor is on the phone at their desk. The main character walks in from the left, holding their cellphone. A speech bubble appears above the phone as they talk to their doctor.]

VO: You may want to have your caregiver or someone you trust with you during the appointment. They can help you remember what you wanted to say or ask, and they can give you support if you need it.

[The previous scene continues. The speech bubble disappears and the camera pans to create space on the left side of the screen. The main character’s caregiver walks in from the left to join them. The main character looks at the caregiver and smiles, and the caregiver puts their hand on the main character’s shoulder. The call with the doctor continues with the caregiver joining the conversation.]

VO: You might also feel more comfortable if your pet is there with you.

[The jagged line and the doctor on the right side of the screen disappear. The main character’s cat walks in from the right and sits down between the main character and their caregiver.]

VO: Taking notes during the appointment can help you remember the important things later. If your caregiver or support person is joining you, they may be able to take notes for you.

[The main character lets go of their phone as it gets bigger and moves to the right side of the screen. There is a speaker icon on the screen and multiple speech bubbles pop up briefly around the phone, representing the voices on the other end of a call. The characters shift slightly to the middle as a pen and a piece of paper with scribbled notes on it appear on the left side of the screen next to the caregiver. A speech bubble reappears near the phone as the call continues.]

VO: You could also ask your healthcare team in advance if you can record your appointment so you can watch or listen to it later.

[The previous scene continues. The paper and pen next to the caregiver slide left off the screen and the characters shift back to the left. The phone on the right gets slightly larger and shows a microphone icon and a red record button on its screen.]

VO: And you can call them between appointments to ask any other questions or to book another appointment.

[The microphone icon and red record button disappear from the phone screen. The phone returns to its normal size and comes back to the main character’s hand. Two bubbles pop up on the right side of the screen. The first bubble has a question mark in it and the second bubble has a monthly calendar page with an appointment marked on it. The scene ends.]

VO: You may not always feel fully prepared for virtual care. That’s OK. Talk to your healthcare team, your caregiver or someone else close to you if you need support.

[The main character is lounging on a chair at home with their cat. The camera pans back and shifts the main character and their cat slightly to the right as 2 bubbles appear on the left. The first bubble has members of the healthcare team in it. The second bubble has the main character’s caregiver and young family member in it. The main character waves. Everyone looks happy. The scene ends.]

VO: The Canadian Cancer Society is also here to help. Visit cancer.ca or call us at 1-888-939-3333. You can also visit our virtual care resource hub at cancer.ca/virtualcare.

[The Canadian Cancer Society’s name, logo, phone number and website address appear in the centre of the screen. The Merck logo appears below with the following text: “Made possible through the support of Merck Canada Inc. The opinions expressed are those of its authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Merck Canada Inc.” As the voice-over mentions the virtual care information hub, the URL cancer.ca/virtualcare appears on the screen.]