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In a brand new examine, researchers from Huntsman Most cancers Institute on the College of Utah (the U) discovered that 7% of Medicare sufferers cross state borders for most cancers care, and charges have been almost double for many who lived in rural areas. This has vital implications for telehealth insurance policies and doctor licensure, says Tracy Onega, Ph.D., MA, MPAS, MS, senior creator of the examine, senior director of inhabitants sciences at Huntsman Most cancers Institute, and professor of inhabitants sciences on the U. A key analysis precedence at Huntsman Most cancers Institute is working to boost entry to take care of most cancers sufferers who stay removed from a significant medical heart.
“Cancer patients, especially in rural areas, often travel far distances to receive specialized cancer care. But there are limitations on how physicians can follow up with their patients and practice across state lines, virtually, with telehealth,” says Onega. “We can use the data from this study to inform policy and practices in order to remove this kind barrier to health care.”
The crew—whose analysis outcomes have been revealed in JAMA Community Open—surveyed over 1 million Medicare beneficiaries with most cancers. For sufferers enrolled within the federal medical health insurance program, designed to cowl well being take care of People over 65, they discovered that 8.3% of all most cancers sufferers crossed state traces for surgical procedures, 6.7% for radiation remedy, and 5.6% for chemotherapy.
These figures have been a lot greater for rural sufferers. Amongst this inhabitants, 18.5% traveled to different states for surgical procedure, 16.9% for radiation remedy, and 16.3% for chemotherapy.
Onega says telemedicine, the supply of health-related care by digital conversations with a well being care skilled, cannot substitute a lot of these companies supplied in a medical setting. As a substitute, she says telemedicine can fill in gaps in most cancers remedy.
“Patients are traveling across state lines for specialized cancer treatment services that need to be done in a brick-and-mortar clinic—but surgical assessment and follow-ups could be offered by telehealth. A surgeon can follow patients remotely, and they can assess their progress from a distance,” says Onega. “This would reduce additional travel burdens for all patients and their caregivers, especially those in rural and frontier areas.”
Telehealth in most cancers care will also be used to handle treatment-related unintended effects, medical trial check-ins, and prevention companies.
Onega says entry to this service is especially vital for Huntsman Most cancers Institute, whose clinicians present complete most cancers care to 5 largely rural Mountain West states: Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Many sufferers journey far distances to entry well being care, specifically the form of specialised care that is wanted for most cancers remedy.
Using telemedicine in well being care has boomed because the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the Nationwide Middle for Well being Statistics, 37% of adults over the age of 18 have been discovered to have used telehealth in 2022.
However obstacles stay. The follow of medication is ruled by particular person state medical boards and the cross-state licensure insurance policies range by state. Some states have extra favorable telehealth insurance policies, encouraging related care no matter location, whereas others have retained decades-old insurance policies predating telehealth applied sciences. Sadly, for a lot of rural sufferers, antiquated medical licensure governance prohibits their suppliers from partaking with them by telehealth.
“Some states have reciprocity, meaning that a doctor licensed in Utah may also be automatically licensed in the next state over. But that is limited,” says Onega. “It would be great to expand those options so that we don’t have so many of these barriers for physicians to be able to provide services across state lines by telehealth.”
Onega says an altered coverage may imply higher outcomes for sufferers, their caregivers, supplier groups, and insurers.
“The patients are always first. We have so many improvements in cancer care technologies now, many of which are benefiting patient outcomes. People are living longer and better lives after a cancer diagnosis,” says Onega. “We want to make sure that people who live far away from an urban area can have all the same benefits.”
Extra info:
Erika L. Moen et al, Cross-State Journey for Most cancers Care and Implications for Telehealth Reciprocity, JAMA Community Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.61021
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Huntsman Most cancers Institute
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Excessive numbers of rural sufferers cross state traces for most cancers care (2025, April 5)
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