Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is rapidly transforming cancer care, with electronic patient-reported outcomes showing clear benefits for symptom management, quality of life, and even survival in some settings. Despite these benefits, implementation in routine care remains challenging. But as digital health expands, are we unintentionally leaving some patients behind?
In this episode, Eléna Prospero joins Deputy Editor Charlotte Rowbottom to talk about her recent mixed-methods study exploring how healthcare providers’ perceptions of patients’ digital capacity may influence access to these technologies—and what this means for equity in cancer care. Drawing on survey data from clinicians across France and Belgium, real-world observations of prescribing decisions in a large cancer centre, and a patient cohort of over 4,700 patients, this conversation challenges common assumptions about digital literacy—particularly the idea that older or vulnerable patients are less able to engage with digital tools. Their hypothesis-generating findings reveal a striking paradox: patients perceived as least suitable for RPM often have the greatest clinical need and, when enrolled, they demonstrate comparable engagement and outcomes. This conversation explore the role of implicit bias, the need for inclusive implementation of digital tools, the limitations of current evidence, and what the next steps are for more inclusive digital oncology pathways. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in digital health, health equity, and the future of patient-centred cancer care.
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