Patient, physician, and policy factors underlying variation in use of telemedicine for radiation oncology cancer care

• Published in: Cancer medicine (Malden, MA) MA), 2022-05, Vol.11 (10), p.2096-2105
• Main Authors: De, Brian, Fu, Shuangshuang, Chen, Ying‐Shiuan, Das, Prajnan, Ku, Kimberly, Maroongroge, Sean, Woodhouse, Kristina D., Hoffman, Karen E., Nguyen, Quynh‐Nhu, Reed, Valerie K., Chen, Aileen B., Koong, Albert C., Smith, Benjamin D., Smith, Grace L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cancer; Cancer therapies; Clinical outcomes; Continuity of care; Coronavirus Preparedness & Response Supplemental Appropriations Act 2020-US; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID‐19 pandemic; disparities; Emergency medical care; Ethnicity; Hispanic Americans; Hospitalization; Humans; Medical records; Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Oncologists; Oncology; Pandemics; Patients; Physicians; Policy; Radiation; Radiation Oncology; Radiation therapy; radiotherapy; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Telemedicine; Trends
• ISSN: 2045-7634; 2045-7634
• DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4555

Background Oncology telemedicine was implemented rapidly after COVID‐19. We examined multilevel correlates and outcomes of telemedicine use for patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) for cancer. Methods Upon implementation of a telemedicine platform at a comprehensive cancer center, we analyzed 468 consecutive patient RT courses from March 16, 2020 to June 1, 2020. Patients were categorized as using telemedicine during ≥1 weekly oncologist visits versus in‐person oncologist management only. Temporal trends were evaluated with Cochran‐Armitage tests; chi‐squared test and multilevel multivariable logistic models identified correlates of use and outcomes. Results Overall, 33% used telemedicine versus 67% in‐person only oncologist management. Temporal trends (ptrend