Telehealth Is a Sustainable Population Health Strategy to Lower Costs and Increase Quality of Health Care in Rural Utah

Abstract

Purpose: A telehealth oncology practice was created to care for patients in rural communities to improve access to health care, decrease financial burdens, and save time.

Patients and methods: Patients with cancer at Sevier Valley Hospital in Richfield, Utah, were treated with a real-time video-based telehealth program under the care of an oncologist at a tertiary medical center. Data on financial savings, travel hours, mileage avoided, carbon emissions reduced, and revenue retained by Sevier Valley Hospital were collected from 2015 to 2018.

Results: From 2015 to 2018, 119 patients with cancer in Richfield, Utah, were treated with telehealth for oncology visits, accounting for 1,025 patient encounters. On average, patients saved 4 hours and 40 minutes and 332 miles roundtrip per encounter. In total, patients' savings were estimated to be $333,074. Carbon emissions were reduced by approximately 150,000 kg. Of new patient referrals, 59% were for solid tumors (70 of 119 referrals; 42 metastatic and 28 nonmetastatic cancers), and 41% were hematology consultations (49 of 119 referrals; 28 classical and 21 malignant hematologic conditions). We estimate that Sevier Valley Hospital retained $3,605,500 in revenue over this 4-year period.

Conclusion: Using a telehealth program in rural Utah, patients with cancer benefited from substantial time and monetary savings. The local medical center was able to retain revenue it would have otherwise lost to outsourcing cancer care. Recent regulatory changes to address the COVID-19 pandemic should increase the number of patients with cancer treated via telehealth nationwide.