Telehealth Infrastructure for Cancer Care in the United States

Publication information:

Lingbo Liu, Tracy Onega, Erika L. Moen, Anna N. A. Tosteson, Rebecca E. Smith, Qianfei Wang, Lauren Cowan, and Fahui Wang. 2026. “Telehealth Infrastructure for Cancer Care in the United States”. Scientific Data, 2026. doi:10.1038/s41597-026-07063-z

Abstract

Telehealth can reduce travel barriers to oncology, yet its impact depends on both digital connectivity and the geography of care. We present an open, reusable dataset that characterizes two critical components of telehealth infrastructure for cancer care, accessible oncologists and sufficient and affordable internet, at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area level across the United States. The resource integrates population-weighted fixed broadband measures and 5G coverage, internet subscription as an affordability proxy, geocoded oncologist practice sites with full-time-equivalent capacity, and a national origin–destination matrix of road travel times. From these inputs we compute spatial accessibility for in-person care by two-step floating catchment area method (2SFCA) and telehealth-enabled care by two-step virtual catchment area method (2SVCA) at 45–120-minute thresholds. We support transparency by releasing the source and intermediate indicators, the final accessibility scores, and a replicable 2SFCA/2SVCA workflow. Anticipated uses include benchmarking infrastructure across states and metropolitan areas, analyses of disparities by rurality and area deprivation, subsidy simulations, and rapid replication in new diseases or providers contexts.