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. 2024 Jun;67(6):525-534.e1.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.02.572. Epub 2024 Mar 10.

Telehealth Preferences Among Patients With Advanced Cancer in the Post COVID-19 Vaccine Era

Kaoswi K Shih  1 , Adrienne B Arechiga  1 , Xi Chen  2 , Diana L Urbauer  2 , Aline Rozman De Moraes  1 , Ashley J Rodriguez  1 , Lisa Thomas  1 , Penny A Stanton  1 , Eduardo Bruera  1 , David Hui  3
Affiliations

Telehealth Preferences Among Patients With Advanced Cancer in the Post COVID-19 Vaccine Era

Kaoswi K Shih et al. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2024 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Few studies have examined patient preferences for telehealth in palliative care after the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. We examined patient preferences for video versus in-person visits and factors contributing to preferences in the postvaccine era.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey of patients who were seen at our palliative care clinic between April 2021 and March 2022. Patients were surveyed directly their preference for either video or in-person visits for outpatient palliative care (primary outcome). We also surveyed preferences including convenience, cost, wait time, and perceptions of COVID-19 safety regarding their palliative virtual-video visit. We examined clinical factors associated with preferences with multivariate logistic regression.

Results: About 200 patients completed the survey. 132 (67%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 60%, 74%) preferred virtual-video, while 16 (8%) preferred in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 120 (61%, 95%CI: 54%, 68%) preferred virtual-video after the pandemic. Patients perceived virtual-video favorably regarding travel and related costs (179 [91%]), convenience (175 [88%]), and wait time (136 [69%]). Multivariable analysis showed concerns for catching COVID-19 from healthcare providers (odds ratio [OR]: 4.20; 95%CI: 1.24-14.25; P = 0.02) and feeling comfortable with computers or mobile devices (OR: 4.59; 95%CI: 1.02, 20.60; P = 0.047) were significantly associated with preferring virtual-video. Patients who were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (OR: 0.25; 95%CI: 0.09, 0.71) and had increased dypsnea (OR: 0.74; 95%CI: 0.59, 0.93) were less likely to prefer video over in-person.

Conclusion: Patients expressed strong preference for video over in-person visits in the outpatient palliative care setting.

Keywords: COVID-19; Palliative care; Telehealth; Telemedicine; Virtual.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Patient Preferences for Virtual Video versus In-Person Palliative Care Visits.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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