Differences in perceptions and use of remote patient monitoring technology in rural cancer programs.

Authors

null

David Penberthy

Penn State Health, Hershey, PA

David Penberthy , Caroline Offit , Christina Mangir , Leigh Boehmer , Bellinda King-Kallimanis , Ramy Sedhom , Cardinale B. Smith , Smit Patel , Jeffrey Kendall , Jeff Hunnicutt , Amanda G. Dean Martin , Erin Pierce , Anne Marie Rainey , Adam P. Dicker , Karen Fecenko-Tacka

Organizations

Penn State Health, Hershey, PA, Association of Community Cancer Centers, Rockville, MD, Rhizome, LLC, Washington DC, DC, LUNGevity Foundation, Silver Spring, MD, Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, Digital Medicine Society, Boston, MA, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Highlands Oncology Group, P.A., Fayetteville, AR, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, Clearview Cancer Institute, Huntsville, AL, Thomas Jefferson University Methodist Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, Association Of Community Cancer Centers, Rockville, MD

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company
This study was supported by AstraZeneca

Background: While the benefits and acceptability of remote patient monitoring (RPM) during cancer care are well documented, barriers to implementation and use of these digital technologies remain. Feasibility may be particularly restricted in rural settings. The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) surveyed U.S. cancer programs, patients with cancer and caregivers in various geographic settings to illuminate the current practice landscape and perceptions regarding the use of digital technologies to monitor patients for adverse events and collect patient reported outcomes (PROs). Methods: ACCC convened an expert advisory committee and patient advocacy partners to guide development of two surveys, one for cancer program staff and the other for patients/caregivers. Surveys were distributed between December 2022 and January 2023 and included 25 closed and open-ended questions. Exploratory analysis was performed and responses were compared between rural, suburban, and urban settings for both groups, with comparisons made by two tailed Fisher’s exact test. Results: There were 128 cancer program staff and 162 patient/caregiver responses. Of staff respondents (52% physicians, 20% other clinicians, 21% administrators/managers), 58% work in urban, 30% suburban, and 13% rural settings. Of the patient/caregiver respondents (56% patients, 44% caregivers), 28% live in urban, 51% suburban, and 21% rural areas. 56% of rural, 24% of urban, and 26% of suburban respondents indicated that their cancer programs have not implemented and are not considering implementing RPM. Of rural program staff, 44% indicated they have no experience/familiarity with RPM, compared to 7% for urban and 13% for suburban staff (p<.001, p=.03, respectively). Fewer rural programs, as compared to urban, use secure text messaging (6% vs. 42%; p=.008) or automated phone surveys (6% vs. 34%; p=.03). More rural patients/caregivers compared to their urban/suburban counterparts indicated concerns about privacy (47% vs 27%; p=.02), concerns about the need to pay (44% vs. 19%; p=.004), and lack of strong cell service (21% vs 5%; p=.007) as barriers to RPM technology use. Conclusions: RPM is gaining momentum in academic and community cancer program settings; however, significant gaps exist in RPM experience and implementation for rural cancer programs. In addition to well-documented disparities in access to internet and cellular service for rural patients, perceptions about privacy and cost pose additional barriers. Secure text messaging and automated surveys are often used as example solutions to bridge digital literacy and access gaps, yet cancer programs in rural areas are less likely to use these technologies. Tailored patient/provider education, funding/reimbursement strategies, and advocacy for policies expanding technology infrastructure may be needed for cancer programs to equitably provide RPM technologies.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Care Delivery and Regulatory Policy

Track

Care Delivery and Quality Care

Sub Track

Digital Technology

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 1582)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.1582

Abstract #

1582

Poster Bd #

176

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

First Author: Caroline Offit

Abstract

2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Patient-reported outcomes: The unmet needs of the gastrointestinal cancer community.

First Author: Martha Raymond