An ePRO-enabled four-tier rural oncology network in China: a case report

Rural oncology patients in China often encounter multiple barriers to continuous care, including fragmented healthcare delivery, geographic isolation, and limited access to specialized medical resources. Conventional hospital-centered care models may not fully address the need for continuous and coordinated management in these patients, highlighting the need for integrated healthcare approaches. The ePRO-enabled four-tier rural oncology network represents an innovative care model that combines digital symptom monitoring with hierarchical medical collaboration, involving village clinics, township health centers, county hospitals, and municipal hospitals. This article presents a case report, rather than a formal program evaluation, illustrating the application of this model in a rural patient with advanced lung cancer and demonstrating how caregiver-assisted ePRO reporting, timely clinical response, and coordinated referral supported symptom management and may have contributed to rebuilding the patient's confidence in treatment. This case provides practical insights into the potential application of ePRO-supported integrated care models for improving continuity and accessibility of oncology services in resource-limited settings.