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 |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, researcher Ramya Walsan and colleagues at Macquarie University analyzed health data from 78,323 Australian adults with cancer to evaluate virtual care adoption and ED use.
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).
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 and read the full study to explore the findings.