Protocol for neuro-oncology anywhere 242: Pilot study evaluating telehealth and in-person assessments in patients with glioma receiving oral chemotherapy.

Care at high volume centers is associated with an overall survival benefit for patients with glioma. However, access to these centers is challenging for patients who experience neurologic deficits, leading to loss of independence and rendering travel difficult. Patients with low socio-economic status (SES) often lack logistical resources for travel, leading to poorer outcomes. There is a critical need for scalable telehealth solutions to increase access to specialized care. The Neuro-Oncology Anywhere 242 study systematically compares telehealth and in-person neuro-oncology assessments, as decentralization of care delivery may enable glioma patients with neurologic deficits and low SES to access specialized care and experience improved health outcomes. The primary objective of this study is to assess patient satisfaction with care delivered as measured by institutional Press-Ganey survey scores obtained following telehealth and in-person assessments. A key secondary objective is to assess the completion rate of planned oral chemotherapy among patients with glioma within 28 days of telehealth visits compared to in-person visits. Chemotherapy adherence is evaluated using a novel digital pill diary that has been developed for this study. Other secondary objectives include preference for telehealth versus in-person evaluations as well as acute care utilization, neurologic impairment, and quality of life among participants after telehealth versus in-person visits. Successful demonstration of this will offer a strong scientific rationale to incorporate telehealth into interventional clinical trials to accelerate development of novel therapeutics unconstrained by geographic location, disability, or SES. Trial registration id: NCT06625047.