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Cancer

Telemedicine's Impact on Time Toxicity for Advanced Cancer Patients Remains Unclear

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, but its effects on the time burden of interacting with the healthcare system among advanced cancer patients remain unclear. A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open aimed to evaluate the association of the pandemic with time toxicity for patients with advanced cancer who died within one year of diagnosis, focusing on changes in healthcare use, including telehealth.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 9643 patients with advanced cancer, with 6558 in the pre-COVID-19 group and 3085 in the post-COVID-19 group.
  • Patients spent a median 32.5% of their days in contact with the healthcare system.
  • In-person outpatient visits decreased in the post-COVID-19 group, while telehealth increased by 2.01 times.
  • Overall contact days increased slightly, as did emergency department and/or acute inpatient days.
  • Time toxicity remained high in the postpandemic era, highlighting the need to integrate telehealth into time toxicity assessments to optimize patient-centered end-of-life care.

Statistics:

  • Median age of patients: 74 years (IQR: 66-81 years)
  • 5119 men (53.1%) were included in the study
  • 6558 patients were in the pre-COVID-19 group
  • 3085 patients were in the post-COVID-19 group
  • Patients spent a median 32.5% of their days in contact with the healthcare system
  • In-person outpatient visits decreased by 0.71 times
  • Telehealth increased by 2.01 times
  • Overall contact days increased by 1.04 times
  • Emergency department and/or acute inpatient days increased by 1.09 times

Sources:

  • Telehealth and Health Care Contact Days Among Patients With Advanced Cancer After Covid-19. JAMA Network Open, 2025;8(6).
  • Amer Medical Assoc, 330 N Wabash Ave, Ste 39300, Chicago, IL 60611-5885, USA
  • NewsRx. Findings from Kaiser Permanente Update Understanding of Telemedicine (Telehealth and Health Care Contact Days Among Patients With Advanced Cancer After Covid-19). Cancer Weekly. July 15, 2025; p 68.

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