Recent telehealth grant funding trends at the National Cancer Institute: A portfolio analysis. Issue 28 (1st October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jensen, Roxanne E.; Hardesty, Rebecca; Tuovinen, Priyanga; Vanderpool, Robin C.; Gaysynsky, Anna; Jacobsen, Paul B.
• Is Part Of: Journal of clinical oncology. Volume 40:Issue 28(2022)Supplement
• Page Start: 388
• Page End: 388
• Publication Date: 2022-10-01
• Subjects: 130-3994 -- 329-590-589 -- 329-555 -- 130-299 -- 130-292-186 -- 127-975 -- 127-1119; 14 -- 11 -- 5 -- 3 -- 3 -- 2 -- 2; Oncology -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Periodicals; Oncology; Medical Oncology; Cancérologie -- Périodiques; Cancer -- Périodiques; Cancérologie; Cancer; Oncology; Oncologia; Càncer; Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2022.40.28_suppl.388
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0732-183X

Abstract

Abstract : 388 Background: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a dramatic increase in the use of telehealth as health systems sought to limit patient exposure to the novel coronavirus. Positive changes in patient-provider synchronous telehealth reimbursement and regulatory policies removed long-standing barriers to telehealth uptake. Recognizing telehealth will remain an integral part of healthcare delivery, staff at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) conducted a grant portfolio analysis to assess current telehealth-related research gaps and opportunities. The goal was to examine 5-year funding trends for grants that evaluate synchronous patient-provider forms of telehealth. Methods: An initial search using NIH tools (QVR and iSearch) identified all research type grants funded by NCI between fiscal years (FY) 2016 and 2021 listing telehealth (and related terms, e.g., telemedicine) within grant titles, abstracts, and specific aims yielded 76 funded applications. Grants were excluded if they did not use synchronous telehealth, were not between a patient and provider, or were not healthcare delivery oriented. We abstracted structured variables for the final grant set (n = 45) including cancer site, stage of the cancer control continuum, patient population(s), and telehealth features. Results: A substantially greater number of telehealth grants were funded in FY20 (n = 15) and FY21 (n = 14) compared to preceding years (mean: 4 per year). The majority (75%) were investigator initiated. Breast (33%), lung (20%), colorectal (15%), and hematological (17%) cancers were most frequently studied. Over 75% of grants focused on active treatment and survivorship populations. Telehealth was most frequently used to deliver psychosocial care (35%), supportive/palliative care (35%), and/or patient self-management support and education (31%). Since 2020, grants were more likely to focus on minority populations (55% vs. 25%. p = 0.05), specify smartphone app integration (38% vs. 19%, p = 0.13), and propose integration with asynchronous data (13% vs. 0%, p = 0.30) versus grants funded from 2016-2019. Conclusions: NCI-funded grants incorporating patient-provider synchronous telehealth have increased since FY20. There are promising indications of increased focus on vulnerable populations and issues surrounding 'digital divide' barriers. Gaps remain within the cancer care continuum, particularly cancer screening and end-of-life when telehealth could increase access to care, with minimal patient burden. Results point to promising areas for future research and may inform efforts to advance knowledge regarding the optimal use of telehealth in cancer care delivery.