Mp02-07 Virtual Care as a Tool to Improve Health Equity? A National Racial and Ethnic Analysis of Telemedicine Use Among Cancer Patients During Covid-19

You have accessJournal of UrologyHealth Services Research: Quality Improvement & Patient Safety I (MP02)1 May 2024MP02-07 VIRTUAL CARE AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE HEALTH EQUITY? A NATIONAL RACIAL AND ETHNIC ANALYSIS OF TELEMEDICINE USE AMONG CANCER PATIENTS DURING COVID-19 Brian D. Cortese, Khalid Y. Alkhatib, Ian Mitchell Harmatz, Morgan Leff, Nathaniel McLaughlan, Daniel S. Roberson, Katharine F. Michel, Benjamin Schurhamer, Daniel J. Lee, Thomas Guzzo, Phillip M. Pierorazio, and Ruchika Talwar Brian D. CorteseBrian D. Cortese , Khalid Y. AlkhatibKhalid Y. Alkhatib , Ian Mitchell HarmatzIan Mitchell Harmatz , Morgan LeffMorgan Leff , Nathaniel McLaughlanNathaniel McLaughlan , Daniel S. RobersonDaniel S. Roberson , Katharine F. MichelKatharine F. Michel , Benjamin SchurhamerBenjamin Schurhamer , Daniel J. LeeDaniel J. Lee , Thomas GuzzoThomas Guzzo , Phillip M. PierorazioPhillip M. Pierorazio , and Ruchika TalwarRuchika Talwar View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/01.JU.0001008600.97797.3b.07AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: As the public health emergency ended, providers pushed to codify pandemic-level telehealth expansion. Telemedicine may deliver equitable oncologic care. To determine if telehealth-delivered oncologic care could reduce access disparities, we analyzed demographic and clinical information of cancer patients to determine the impact of race/ethnicity on telemedicine receipt. We hypothesized that telemedicine receipt for prostate cancer patients allows for a potential reduction in racial/ethnic differences. METHODS: In a cross-sectional analysis from July 2020 to December 2021 of telemedicine recipients with a cancer history using the CDC's National Health Interview Survey, we estimated prevalence of telemedicine utilization. A complex-weighted multivariable Poisson regression analysis examined the outcome of telemedicine receipt. A two-way interaction between cancer type and race/ethnicity was carried out, followed by an adjusted marginal probability of telemedicine receipt and adjusted risk difference (ARD) calculation to describe racial/ethnic effects for cancers included in our study. RESULTS: Of 46,799 respondents, 6,013 (10%) reported a cancer diagnosis representing a weighted population of 18.21 million. In cancer patients, prostate cancer significantly predicted telemedicine receipt (RR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.16-1.42, p<0.01). Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) were less likely to receive telemedicine vs. Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) (RR: 0.87, 95%CI: 0.83- 0.92, p<0.01). A significant interaction between race and ethnicity and cancer type (Pint<0.01) was found. Significant racial difference in telemedicine receipt existed between NHB and NHW with no cancer history (ARD: -0.05, 95%CI:-0.07- -0.03, p<0.01) and breast cancer history (ARD: -0.16, 95%CI: -0.27- -0.05, p=0.01). No significant difference was found between NHB and NHW in prostate cancer (ARD: 0.05, 95%CI: -0.06- -0.17, p=0.37). CONCLUSIONS: Policy discussions have debated codifying pandemic-level telehealth reimbursement parity. We demonstrate telemedicine receipt for prostate cancer patients could decrease access disparities. Limitations include the hypothesis-generating cross-sectional design and absence of causative patient- and provider-level variables. Download PPT Source of Funding: N/A © 2024 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 211Issue 5SMay 2024Page: e15 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2024 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.Metrics Author Information Brian D. Cortese More articles by this author Khalid Y. Alkhatib More articles by this author Ian Mitchell Harmatz More articles by this author Morgan Leff More articles by this author Nathaniel McLaughlan More articles by this author Daniel S. Roberson More articles by this author Katharine F. Michel More articles by this author Benjamin Schurhamer More articles by this author Daniel J. Lee More articles by this author Thomas Guzzo More articles by this author Phillip M. Pierorazio More articles by this author Ruchika Talwar More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...