Researchers at the University of Kansas Cancer Center https://www.ku.cancercenter.org looked at Medicare claims data obtained from 16,000 people newly diagnosed with cancer to identify patterns of telemedicine use.
Nearly 70% of the patients with the highest socioeconomic status had a telemedicine visit within 30 days of their cancer diagnosis as compared with less than half of patients in lower socioeconomic groups. Patients in the highest socioeconomic groups continued to have high rates of telemedicine use in subsequent months while rates among those in the lowest socioeconomic groups remained low.
As Debra L. Friedman, MD Associate Director for Community Science and Health Outcomes at the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) https://www.vicc.org and colleagues, are conducting a clinical trial called ENCORE. The plan is to determine whether supporting doctors and patients in rural hospitals by giving them access to expertise and supportive care from oncologists at VICC via telehealth, will enhance cancer care.
Dr. Friedman reports that the ENCORE study is collecting data to see what works and doesn’t work. She thinks that simpler platforms are needed and there is always going to be a need for some human support.
Dr. Friedman points out that while doctors currently use a variety of videoconferencing systems, including Zoom, Webex, and platforms integrated into patients’ EHRs, it can be confusing to use for people who are less comfortable with technology.
In a study led by researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, https://healthcare.utah.edu patients used a remote monitoring system to regularly report any cancer and treatment related symptoms they were experiencing at home. Patients who report symptoms are given information on how to best manage the symptoms along with direct follow-up for any symptoms that continue to bother them.
The remote monitoring has been a success. Not only were patients’ symptoms much improved, but they were better able to manage them on their own at home than patients who didn’t undergo remote monitoring. Future advances in remote monitoring may open up other possibilities as well, such as being able to analyze blood samples at home” said Kathi Mooney PhD, R.N., the study’s lead investigator.
The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS) https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov is launching a program called Telehealth Research Centers of Excellence (TRACE). Starting in summer 2022, the program will fund three Centers of Excellence to conduct research focused on ensuring equitable access and the delivery of telehealth-based cancer care.
Robin C. Vanderpool Dr. P.H., of DCCPS’s Behavioral Research Program said, “Recent studies on telehealth in cancer care have looked at how people are using telehealth and who is most likely to use it.” She hope that new funding from NCI will incentivize more research on telehealth’s impact on patient outcomes, patient-provider communications, and healthcare use.