---
title: "Virtual Care in Oncology: Access Drivers and Emergency Care Patterns"
description: Explore how virtual oncology services are utilized by cancer patients, revealing access disparities and their connection to emergency care patterns.
---

[JMIR Publications Blog](https://blog.jmir.org)

# [Virtual Care in Oncology: Access Drivers and Emergency Care Patterns](https://blog.jmir.org/virtual-care-in-oncology-access-drivers-and-emergency-care-patterns)

 Written by [Liana Ramos, Marketing Associate](https://blog.jmir.org/author/liana-ramos) | 29 July 2026 1:15 p.m.

Virtual care expanded rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, but understanding which cancer patients use virtual oncology services, and how it connects to unplanned emergency department (ED) visits, remains critical for equitable care.

| **Key Takeaways** |
| --- |
| Access Disparities: Virtual oncology adoption was higher among rural patients and those with complex conditions, but lower among older adults and overseas-born individuals due to digital and language barriers. |
| **Higher Acute Care Needs:** High virtual care users (4+ visits) were 2.64 times more likely to have frequent unplanned ED visits, reflecting greater underlying medical complexity rather than poor remote care quality. |
| **Proactive Symptom Triage:** Frequent virtual consultations allow clinicians to monitor high-risk patients remotely and direct them to emergency departments quickly when acute complications arise. |

In a [retrospective study](https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e87694) published in the [*Journal of Medical Internet Research*](https://www.jmir.org/), researcher **Ramya Walsan and colleagues** at [**Macquarie University**](https://www.mq.edu.au/) analyzed health data from 78,323 Australian adults with cancer to evaluate virtual care adoption and ED use.

### Disparities in Virtual Care Access

Out of 78,323 patients, 48.1% used only in-person care, 30.9% had low virtual care use (1 to 3 visits), and 20.9% were high users (4 or more visits).

- **Higher Virtual Use:** Patients in rural areas (RR 1.23), those with mental health conditions (RR 1.28), individuals with higher comorbidities (RR 1.12), and those receiving care during COVID-19 lockdowns (RR 3.03).
- **Lower Virtual Use:** Older adults (aged 75+ vs. 18 to 44; RR 0.78) and individuals born overseas (RR 0.83), highlighting ongoing digital literacy and language barriers.

### Virtual Care and Emergency Department Visits

High virtual care users had **2.64 times the risk** of experiencing 4 or more unplanned ED visits compared to non-users.

Rather than indicating poor virtual care quality, the authors emphasize that this link reflects **higher baseline complexity and proactive clinical triage**. High virtual users often had complex comorbidities or aggressive cancers, and virtual visits frequently enabled clinicians to catch acute symptoms early and direct patients to the ED for necessary in-person evaluation.

|   | In this video, Dr. Ramya Walsan from Macquarie University presents a population-based data linkage study examining the demographics of virtual outpatient oncology use and its connection to subsequent emergency care in Australia. |   |
| --- | --- | --- |

 

Why JMIR?

The authors chose the *Journal of Medical Internet Research* for its focus on digital health equity and health services integration. This study provides key insights for policymakers aiming to bridge digital divides and optimize virtual oncology care.

**Interested in virtual oncology models and acute care patterns?** [Watch the video featuring Ramya Walsan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItS9SvxwPOE) and [read the full study](https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e87694) to explore the findings.

Walsan R, Harrison R, Westbrook J, Chauhan A, Moscova M, Vandyke A, Manias E, Webster T, Taylor N, Peprah P, Mitchell R  
Characteristics of Patients Accessing Outpatient Oncology Services Virtually and Predictors of Subsequent Unplanned Emergency Department Presentations in 78,323 Adults in Australia: Retrospective Cohort Study  
J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e87694  
URL: [https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e87694](https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e87694)  
DOI: [10.2196/87694](https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e87694)

[View full post](https://blog.jmir.org/virtual-care-in-oncology-access-drivers-and-emergency-care-patterns)

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