Evaluating a Virtual Oncology Telehealth Program for Veterans with New Lung, Colorectal, Prostate, or Breast Cancer in the VA Health System

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to evaluate the VA National TeleOncology program NTO, a multilevel telehealth population health management program, among Veterans diagnosed with lung, colorectal, prostate, or breast cancers. The study focuses on assessing the programs effectiveness in increasing telehealth engagement, improving clinical quality, and managing healthcare costs across different patient characteristics. The study compares two groups Veterans receiving oncology care through the NTO telehealth service and those receiving usual in-person care at VA medical centers without NTO. The NTO program offers medical and subspecialty oncology care remotely via telehealth between VA facilities as an alternative to community or in-person visits. Providers and staff involved in cancer care at these VA centers are also included. Participants medical records will be reviewed to observe telehealth visit frequency, clinical quality measures such as the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative QOPI score, timeliness of appointments and treatments, and overall healthcare costs up to three months after NTO implementation. The study uses VA health information systems to identify eligible patients and providers and analyze outcomes based on telehealth use and usual care. The study started in June 2024 and is expected to continue until July 2027.

Evaluating the Implementation of a Comprehensive Multilevel Virtual Oncology Program Among Veterans Diagnosed With Lung, Colorectal, Prostate, and Breast Cancers in the US Department of Veterans Affairs