Using a tele-oncology service provides a direct benefit to patients and caregivers in rural communities in the Intermountain West.

Abstract

e14153 Background: Cancer treatment is becoming more complex, necessitating subspecialty expertise and multidisciplinary approaches to treatment planning. Simultaneously, there is increasing demand to provide care as close to home as possible. Oncology services are in high demand with a geographical mismatch between where oncologists work and where patients live. Traditionally, patients have been required to travel long distances to seek care outside of their communities resulting in increased financial expense and emotional distress caused by leaving the comforts of their support system. Leveraging existing technologies, most of modern cancer care, including infusions can be delivered through a coordinated effort from consulting/ordering oncologists, onsite administrators, physicians, nurses and ancillary staff. Methods: Using a secure video-conferencing platform, Intermountain Healthcare has implemented 5 tele-oncology clinics (Site A- Sevier, UT; B- Cassia, ID; C- Teton, ID; D- Uintah Basin, UT, E- Star Valley, WY) in rural communities of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. Patients are referred to the clinic by local providers. With the assistance of a nurse navigator, oncologists meet with patients via video conference for initial consults, follow-up, supportive care, survivorship care and systemic treatment including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Standard NCCN/ASCO guidelines are followed in the treatment strategies for these patients. Care is taken to ensure any treatment that can safely be delivered in the local facility/community is coordinated to take place there. Based on distances from the rural facility to nearest tertiary cancer center, we calculated the mileage avoided and hours traveled avoided by using tele-oncology. Results: Since 2017, the tele-oncology service has managed 269 unique patients (A- 200; B- 21, C- 22, D- 18, E- 8) with 1,237 total tele-oncology visits (A- 1,068; B- 69; C- 39; D- 32; E- 29). In total, there were 397,326 driving miles avoided (A- 326,808; B- 26,358; C- 22,932; D- 9,280; E- 11,948). Travel hours avoided in total were 6,062 hours (A- 4,989; B- 380; C- 341; D- 155; E- 197). Conclusions: Intermountain Healthcare’s tele-oncology program benefits patients and communities by easing travel burden and improving quality of life by making cancer care more convenient and providing the care closer to home. Work is ongoing to prospectively evaluate the effects on the communities in addition to cancer related outcomes.