Trends in the Use of Telehealth During the Emergence of the Covid-19 Pandemic — United States, January–March 2020

Dados Bibliográficos

ID23364412
AutoresLisa M Koonin (0000-0002-9132-5331, Northwell Health, autor correspondente), Brooke Hoots (0000-0002-6738-8703, Northwell Health), Clarisse A Tsang (0000-0002-5962-2256, Northwell Health), Zanie Leroy (Northwell Health), Kevin Farris (Northwell Health), Brandon Jolly (0000-0003-4991-5212, Northwell Health), Peter Antall (Northwell Health), Bridget McCabe, Bridget K McCabe (0000-0002-3961-673X, Northwell Health), Cynthia B R Zelis (Northwell Health), Ian Tong (0000-0001-6289-1919, Northwell Health), Aaron M Harris (0000-0001-7121-7635, Northwell Health)
Ano2020
Volume69
Fascículo43
Páginas1595-1599
Data de publicação2020-10-30
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoMMWR. Surveillance Summaries (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1546-0738 • E-ISSN: 1545-8636
EditoraCenters for Disease Control MMWR Office (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.15585/mmwr.mm6943a3
PMID33119561
OpenAlexW3096402020
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas83
Referências citadas5

In February 2020, CDC issued guidance advising persons and health care providers in areas affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to adopt social distancing practices, specifically recommending that health care facilities and providers offer clinical services through virtual means such as telehealth.* Telehealth is the use of two-way telecommunications technologies to provide clinical health care through a variety of remote methods. To examine changes in the frequency of use of telehealth services during the early pandemic period, CDC analyzed deidentified encounter (i.e., visit) data from four of the largest U.S. telehealth providers that offer services in all states. Trends in telehealth encounters during January-March 2020 (surveillance weeks 1-13) were compared with encounters occurring during the same weeks in 2019. During the first quarter of 2020, the number of telehealth visits increased by 50%, compared with the same period in 2019, with a 154% increase in visits noted in surveillance week 13 in 2020, compared with the same period in 2019. During January-March 2020, most encounters were from patients seeking care for conditions other than COVID-19. However, the proportion of COVID-19-related encounters significantly increased (from 5.5% to 16.2%; p<0.05) during the last 3 weeks of March 2020 (surveillance weeks 11-13). This marked shift in practice patterns has implications for immediate response efforts and longer-term population health. Continuing telehealth policy changes and regulatory waivers might provide increased access to acute, chronic, primary, and specialty care during and after the pandemic.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Disease · Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Medical emergency · Pandemic · Population · Social distance · Specialty · Telehealth · Telemedicine · COVID-19 and healthcare impacts · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening · Medicine · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation