During the same period, telemedicine visits skyrocketed, increasing by more than 4,000% in April 2020 as compared to April 2019. But the increase in telemedicine visits replaced only about 40% of the decline in medical office visits.
Researchers found that patients who resided in lower-income or predominately non-white zip codes had an increase in telehealth visits that was about a third lower than those who lived in the wealthiest neighborhoods.
“The extent to which access barriers to telemedicine contribute to lower rates of in-person care deferral, and thus increases in potential exposure to COVID-19, should be examined in future work,” Whaley said.
Support for the study was provided by the National Institute on Aging and the National Cancer Institute.
Other authors of the study are Megan F. Pera, Jennie Chang, Julia Velasco and Heather K. Hagg, all of Castlight Health, Jonathan Cantor of RAND, Neeraj Sood of USC, and Dena M. Bravata of Castlight Health and the Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research at Stanford University.
RAND Health Care promotes healthier societies by improving health care systems in the United States and other countries.
About the RAND Corporation
The RAND Corporation is a research organization that develops solutions to public policy challenges to help make communities throughout the world safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous.
Back to HCB News
