This issue of Telehealth and Medicine Today (THMT) showcases a powerful collection of research and case studies at
the forefront of digital and connected health. From diagnostic innovation to telehealth delivery for underserved populations, the featured works exemplify the diversity and depth of transformation underway in healthcare.
We encourage you to cite the articles in the new issue of Telehealth and Medicine Today (THMT) — your citations help advance the field, validate emerging research, and support the authors
driving innovation in digital health and telemedicine. Each citation amplifies visibility, fosters collaboration, and helps shape standards and best practices across telehealth and medical innovation - contributing to the growing body of evidence driving digital health transformation — supporting rigor, reproducibility, and real world impact.
Flipping the Script: Low-Income Cancer Patients Lead in Telehealth Use
Elaine Chambers
While telehealth has rapidly expanded across the U.S. healthcare landscape, prevailing assumptions suggest that low-income populations face the most significant barriers
to access. However, emerging evidence from national datasets challenges this assumption, indicating that some low-income populations, particularly cancer patients, engage in telehealth at higher rates than their higher-income counterparts. This study examines differences in telehealth utilization between low-income and higher-income U.S. adults with a history of cancer and explores the sociodemographic and structural factors associated with higher telehealth engagement among low-income patients.
A quantitative, correlational analysis was conducted using pooled cross-sectional data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2011 to 2023. The sample included adult cancer survivors stratified by household income relative to the federal poverty level. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between income and telehealth use, controlling for predisposing (age, gender, race/ethnicity), enabling (education, employment, insurance), and need-based (self-reported health
status) variables. Low-income cancer patients were significantly more likely to use telehealth services compared to their higher-income counterparts (AOR 1.084; 95% CI 1.02–1.15; p<.01), even after adjusting for enabling factors. Among the low-income group, individuals employed in the past year and those with higher educational attainment had even greater odds of telehealth engagement. Women and middle-aged adults also reported higher utilization than men and older adults. Contrary to
dominant narratives, these findings suggest that low-income cancer patients actively engage in virtual care when appropriate enabling conditions are present.
The Impact of Telemedicine on The Pharmaceutical Industry
The Digital Health Strategy and its influence on the review of the pharmaceutical industry’s business model
Shirley Meschke Mendes, Franklin de Oliveira, JD, PhD
This article analyzes the impact of telemedicine on the pharmaceutical industry from the perspective of the Pharmaceutical Products Industry Union of the State of São Paulo (Sindusfarma). A participatory research was conducted, with the monitoring of the work of the Digital Health Committee and analysis of the work and discussions that took place in the Marketing and Business Support, Regulatory, Legal Strategy and Access Committees, as well as interviews
with industry representatives. The Global and Brazilian Digital Health Strategies and the pharmaceutical industry’s business model were evaluated to identify the impact of telemedicine on the business model. An opportunity map was presented for expanding the practice of telemedicine, with suggestions for actions for pharmaceutical companies and project considerations for Sindusfarma, aiming to contribute to the Digital Health Strategic Plan, to the innovation and modernization of the sector, and
to increase patient access to information, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
