Factors Associated With Cancer Patients' Preferences for Telemedicine or In-Person Palliative Care

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Palliative Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Sociodemographic factors can impede telemedicine access.
• Understanding patient preferences is crucial for vulnerable populations like cancer patients in palliative care.
• This study addresses the need for insight into telemedicine preferences within this group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine cancer patient preferences for in-person versus telemedicine palliative care.
• To identify patient-centric factors associated with these preferences in a real-world setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of palliative care visits (September-October 2021).
• Data collected on patient preferences for visit modality and perceived difficulty attending in-person.
• Statistical analyses to identify associations between preferences and patient factors.

Main Results:

• 83% of 400 patients preferred telemedicine palliative care.
• Perceived difficulty attending in-person visits strongly predicted telemedicine preference (OR: 16.81).
• A positive Cut-Down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-Opener-Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID) score was associated with preferring in-person visits (OR: 0.17).

Conclusions:

• The majority of cancer patients in outpatient palliative care favor telemedicine.
• Difficulty with in-person attendance is a significant driver for telemedicine preference.
• Substance use screening scores (CAGE-AID) may indicate a preference for in-person palliative care.