Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study
BackgroundHealth systems rapidly adopted telemedicine as an alternative health care delivery modality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic factors, such as age and gender, may play a role in patients’ choice of a phone or video visit. However, it is unknown wheth...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Online Journal of Public Health Informatics |
| Online Access: | https://ojphi.jmir.org/2024/1/e50962 |
| _version_ | 1797351263467208704 |
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| author | Saif Khairat Roshan John Malvika Pillai Philip McDaniel Barbara Edson |
| author_facet | Saif Khairat Roshan John Malvika Pillai Philip McDaniel Barbara Edson |
| author_sort | Saif Khairat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundHealth systems rapidly adopted telemedicine as an alternative health care delivery modality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic factors, such as age and gender, may play a role in patients’ choice of a phone or video visit. However, it is unknown whether there are differences in utilization between phone and video visits.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate patients’ characteristics, patient utilization, and service characteristics of a tele-urgent care clinic during the initial response to the pandemic.
MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of urgent care patients using a statewide, on-demand telemedicine clinic with board-certified physicians during the initial phases of the pandemic. The study data were collected from March 3, 2020, through May 3, 2020.
ResultsOf 1803 telemedicine visits, 1278 (70.9%) patients were women, 730 (40.5%) were aged 18 to 34 years, and 1423 (78.9%) were uninsured. There were significant differences between telemedicine modalities and gender (P<.001), age (P<.001), insurance status (P<.001), prescriptions given (P<.001), and wait times (P<.001). Phone visits provided significantly more access to rural areas than video visits (P<.001).
ConclusionsOur findings suggest that offering patients a combination of phone and video options provided additional flexibility for various patient subgroups, particularly patients living in rural regions with limited internet bandwidth. Differences in utilization were significant based on patient gender, age, and insurance status. We also found differences in prescription administration between phone and video visits that require additional investigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:57:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-082418be762942568b2760d884dad00d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1947-2579 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T12:57:50Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Online Journal of Public Health Informatics |
| spelling | doaj.art-082418be762942568b2760d884dad00d2024-01-19T14:15:32ZengJMIR PublicationsOnline Journal of Public Health Informatics1947-25792024-01-0116e5096210.2196/50962Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional StudySaif Khairathttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8992-2946Roshan Johnhttps://orcid.org/0009-0000-8114-8821Malvika Pillaihttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8739-189XPhilip McDanielhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1099-737XBarbara Edsonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5738-2068 BackgroundHealth systems rapidly adopted telemedicine as an alternative health care delivery modality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic factors, such as age and gender, may play a role in patients’ choice of a phone or video visit. However, it is unknown whether there are differences in utilization between phone and video visits. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate patients’ characteristics, patient utilization, and service characteristics of a tele-urgent care clinic during the initial response to the pandemic. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of urgent care patients using a statewide, on-demand telemedicine clinic with board-certified physicians during the initial phases of the pandemic. The study data were collected from March 3, 2020, through May 3, 2020. ResultsOf 1803 telemedicine visits, 1278 (70.9%) patients were women, 730 (40.5%) were aged 18 to 34 years, and 1423 (78.9%) were uninsured. There were significant differences between telemedicine modalities and gender (P<.001), age (P<.001), insurance status (P<.001), prescriptions given (P<.001), and wait times (P<.001). Phone visits provided significantly more access to rural areas than video visits (P<.001). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that offering patients a combination of phone and video options provided additional flexibility for various patient subgroups, particularly patients living in rural regions with limited internet bandwidth. Differences in utilization were significant based on patient gender, age, and insurance status. We also found differences in prescription administration between phone and video visits that require additional investigation.https://ojphi.jmir.org/2024/1/e50962 |
| spellingShingle | Saif Khairat Roshan John Malvika Pillai Philip McDaniel Barbara Edson Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study Online Journal of Public Health Informatics |
| title | Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Patient Characteristics Associated With Phone and Video Visits at a Tele-Urgent Care Center During the Initial COVID-19 Response: Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | patient characteristics associated with phone and video visits at a tele urgent care center during the initial covid 19 response cross sectional study |
| url | https://ojphi.jmir.org/2024/1/e50962 |
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