The assessment of the provision of telehealth consultations for medical and radiation oncology services at BC Cancer between 2020 and 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on the delivery of health care. The use of telehealth (TH) for cancer care increased dramatically to support patients to receive timely care. Research suggests that TH can have several benefits to the experience of and access to care, including providing more convenience to patients and reducing travel costs. However, TH poses unique challenges, particularly for patients who do not have an adequate device or struggle with technology. Since the pandemic, TH continues to be widely used in cancer care. However, there is a lack of understanding of which patients may benefit the most from TH appointments instead of in-person care. Therefore, this research aims to understand TH use for medical and/or radiation appointments at six regional BC Cancer centres from 2020 to 2023 and the types of patients using TH.BC Cancer electronic medical records will be used to analyze the use of TH over time. Medical and radiation appointments will be described by patient, clinical, and appointment types. I will also look at how factors such as patient age, travel time to the nearest cancer centre, and tumour group influence whether a patient receives in-person or TH care.Findings will help identify the factors that shape a patient use of TH. This information could help develop guidelines for healthcare providers to determine whether to offer in-person or TH appointments for their patients. By understanding the use of TH, more accessible and efficient cancer care may be provided to patients. The insights gained will be shared with BC Cancer and healthcare interest holders through presentations and informative reports.