Variation in telemedicine usage in gynecologic cancer: Are we widening or narrowing disparities?

Authors

null

Leslie Andriani

Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA

Leslie Andriani , Anna Jo Bodurtha Smith , Rafael Alvarez , Jonathan Heintz , Emily Meichun Ko

Organizations

Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Research Funding

Other Foundation

Background: Telemedicine rapidly increased with the COVID-19 pandemic and may be a way to reduce care disparities. Our aim was to evaluate sociodemographic (race, insurance), patient, health system, and cancer factors associated with use of telemedicine in gynecologic cancers. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with documented endometrial or ovarian cancer using the nationwide de-identified electronic health record-derived Flatiron Health data. We used multi-level regression models to analyze the association of telemedicine usage during COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) with sociodemographic, patient, health system, and cancer factors overall. Results: Of 13,450 patients with endometrial or ovarian cancer, 14.4 % (95%CI 14.0-16.1) used telemedicine during COVID-19 for their cancer care within the Flatiron Health network. Insurance was not associated with likelihood of telemedicine in any model. Region was significantly associated with telemedicine usage across models with patients living in the Northeast more likely to use telemedicine. Conclusions: In this large cohort study, we found regional disparities across cancer types and oncology settings. Expanding access to telemedicine may improve racial and geographic disparities in gynecologic cancer.

Predictors of telemedicine usage during COVID-19 in gynecologic cancer.
Risk ratioRisk ratio
Endometrial cancerOvarian Cancer
Patient Race
Black0.79 (0.62-1.01)0.83 (0.62-1.12)
Asian0.94 (0.57-1.57)1.44 (1.04-1.97)*
Other0.83 (0.63-1.10)1.11 (0.93-1.34)
Unknown race0.95 (0.74-1.22)1.06 (0.87-1.28)
WhiteReferenceReference
Hispanic or Latino1.39 (1.00-1.94)0.77 (0.59-1.02)
Patient Insurance
Medicaid0.85 (0.61-1.18)0.82 (0.62-1.08)
Medicare0.86 (0.68-1.07)1.02 (0.85-1.22)
Uninsured0.92 (0.73-1.17)0.85 (0.70-1.03)
Unknown0.90 (0.071-1.15)0.85 (0.68-1.05)
Private insuranceReferenceReference
Region
Southeast0.29 (0.22-0.38)**0.44 (0.36-0.53)**
Midwest0.44 (0.33-0.58)**0.48 (0.38-0.61)**
West0.56 (0.44-0.72)**0.67 (0.56-0.79)**
Unknown1.05 (0.84-1.31)0.86 (0.70-1.04)
NortheastReferenceReference
Recurrent cancer1.11 (0.89-1.40)1.70 (1.49-1.93)**

Risk ratios are adjusted for age, BMI, ECOG status, stage, and histology. *p-value<0.05. **p-value<0.001 (Bonferroni correction applied).

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2022 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Care Delivery and Regulatory Policy

Track

Care Delivery and Quality Care

Sub Track

Telemedicine/Remote Care

Citation

J Clin Oncol 40, 2022 (suppl 16; abstr 1593)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.1593

Abstract #

1593

Poster Bd #

185

Abstract Disclosures

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