Telehealth Utilization for Prostate Cancer Management in the Veteran Affairs Healthcare System: A Study from 2016 to 2023
By
Amin Nakhostin-Ansari
Zain Khera
Daniel Becker
Navid Dardashti
Stacy Loeb
Danil Makarov
Andrew Nicholson
Stephanie L. Orstad
Jerry Thomas
Leah L. Zullig
Scott E. Sherman
July 7, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Utilization of Telehealth in Managing Prostate Cancer within the Veteran Affairs Healthcare System: Insights from 2016 to 2023
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Prostate Cancer Key Mechanisms Telehealth enhances access to care and reduces patient costs while providing similar satisfaction to in-person visits. Target Population Veterans diagnosed with prostate cancer Care Setting Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Key Highlights
Prostate cancer has the third highest incidence rate globally and is the most common non-skin cancer among males in the US. Telehealth adoption increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing care gaps. The VHA provides a unique opportunity to study telehealth utilization independent of access barriers. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Utilize ICD codes and clinical cancer registry data for prostate cancer diagnosis. Management
Consider telehealth for conservative management strategies such as watchful waiting or active surveillance. Monitoring & Follow-up
Assess telehealth utilization patterns among patients with prostate cancer. Risks
Patients with limited access to healthcare may experience poorer outcomes. Patient & Prescribing Data
Veterans with a new diagnosis of prostate cancer from January 1, 2016, to January 31, 2023.
Telehealth may improve access to multidisciplinary care for prostate cancer management.
Clinical Best Practices
Incorporate telehealth into routine care for prostate cancer management. Evaluate sociodemographic characteristics linked to telehealth utilization. Related Resources & Content
