Project 2: The Intersection of Telehealth and Health Disparities in At-Risk Older Patients with Cancer

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT – PROJECT 2 Telehealth utilization increased rapidly across the US healthcare system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we emerge from the pandemic, telehealth has become a new option for communication between patients and providers. Cancer care delivery appears well positioned to incorporate telehealth into the standard workflow of patient care. Furthermore, equitable implementation of telehealth could potentially increase access to care among vulnerable patients. However, emerging data suggest disparities with telehealth utilization access among non-White, low income, and non-English speaking individuals. Inequitable implementation of telehealth could inadvertently create barriers among our most vulnerable patients, which could paradoxically increase cancer health disparities. Large-scale rigorous research evaluating disparities in telehealth utilization within the post-COVID-19 cancer care environment is lacking. Furthermore, research has not addressed how telehealth utilization influences safety and quality of care compared to conventional in-person visits, particularly among our at-risk populations with higher baseline risks of poor outcomes and adverse events. Finally, a comprehensive understanding of telehealth disparities requires an understanding of patient perceptions and provider biases towards telehealth, which represent important unaddressed questions. To fill these critical knowledge gaps, we propose a comprehensive population-based cohort study among Medicare beneficiaries with cancer, incorporating linkages to secondary datasets providing data on providers, hospitals, and regional factors. We will assess the impact of telehealth on vulnerable cancer populations through the following aims: 1) identify and characterize disparities in telehealth during and after the COVID-19 pandemic; 2) assess the impact of telehealth on efficacy and safety of cancer delivery among at-risk populations; and 3) define actionable patient-level barriers and provider biases with telehealth utilization. This proposed study will help define the national landscape of telehealth among cancer patients, and will provide a framework for the development of future interventions to optimize telehealth among at-risk patients. This timely project will deliver actionable information to providers, healthcare systems, and policymakers. Overall, equitable, safe, and effective telehealth delivery stands to increase access to care and reduce cancer health disparities among our most vulnerable cancer patients.