National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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Topics
- Access to Care (5)
- Adverse Drug Events (ADE) (2)
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- Antibiotics (1)
- Antimicrobial Stewardship (1)
- Asthma (1)
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- Disparities (1)
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- Healthcare Costs (3)
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- Healthcare Utilization (1)
- (-) Health Information Technology (HIT) (48)
- Heart Disease and Health (2)
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- Implementation (1)
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (1)
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- Provider (2)
- Provider: Pharmacist (3)
- Quality of Life (1)
- Respiratory Conditions (2)
- Rural Health (2)
- Sepsis (2)
- Sexual Health (1)
- Sickle Cell Disease (1)
- Stroke (4)
- Surgery (3)
- (-) Telehealth (48)
- Training (1)
- Transplantation (2)
- Vulnerable Populations (1)
- Women (1)
AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 48 Research Studies DisplayedRodriguez DV, Lawrence K, Luu S
Development of a computer-aided text message platform for user engagement with a digital diabetes prevention program: a case study.
Investigators partnered with a Digital Diabetes Prevention Programs (dDPP) vendor to develop a personalized automatic message system (PAMS) to promote user engagement to the dDPP platform by sending messages on behalf of the user’s primary care provider. In this article, they discussed the design and development of their system, including key requirements and features, the technical architecture and build, and preliminary user testing.
AHRQ-funded; HS026120.
Citation: Rodriguez DV, Lawrence K, Luu S .
Development of a computer-aided text message platform for user engagement with a digital diabetes prevention program: a case study.
J Am Med Inform Assoc 2021 Dec 28;29(1):155-62. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocab206..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Diabetes, Prevention
Li LX, Szymczak JE, Keller SC
Antibiotic stewardship in direct-to-consumer telemedicine: translating interventions into the virtual realm.
This article discusses using the core elements for outpatient antibiotic stewardship as a framework for direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine. There is limited scholarship regarding adapting and implementing antibiotic stewardship principles in this setting. The authors discussed utilizing the core elements for outpatient antibiotic stewardship as a framework for efforts moving forward.
AHRQ-funded; HS027819.
Citation: Li LX, Szymczak JE, Keller SC .
Antibiotic stewardship in direct-to-consumer telemedicine: translating interventions into the virtual realm.
J Antimicrob Chemother 2021 Dec 24;77(1):13-15. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkab371..
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Stewardship, Medication, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Kalwani NM, Wang KM, Johnson AN
Application of the quadruple aim to evaluate the operational impact of a telemedicine program.
This study compared the operational impact of a telemedicine program called CardioClick at a preventive cardiology clinic compared to traditional clinic visits. The authors examined data for 134 patients enrolled in CardioClick with 181 video follow-up visits and 276 patients enrolled in the clinic’s traditional program with 694 in-person follow-up visits. The Quadruple Aim was used to evaluate CardioClick. Both cohorts were similar in characteristics in terms of age, gender balance, and baseline clinical characteristics. Video follow-up visits were shorter in time for clinicians (median 22 vs 30 minutes) than in-person visits and total clinic time (median 22 vs 68 minutes). Video visits were more likely to end on time than in-person visits as well. Physicians more often completed video visit documentation on the day of the visit.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Kalwani NM, Wang KM, Johnson AN .
Application of the quadruple aim to evaluate the operational impact of a telemedicine program.
Healthc 2021 Dec;9(4):100593. doi: 10.1016/j.hjdsi.2021.100593..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Cardiovascular Conditions, COVID-19
McAlearney AS, Sieck CJ, Gregory ME
Examining patients' capacity to use patient portals: insights for telehealth.
The objective of this study was to examine factors related to patients' capacity to use a patient portal and test the impact of these factors on patients' portal use. Using data from a large-scale randomized controlled trial of patient portal use, over one thousand hospitalized patients responded to survey items that were then mapped onto the 4 dimensions of the Engagement Capacity Framework. Findings showed that patients with fewer resources, fewer capabilities, lower willingness, and lower overall capacity to use patient portals used the portal less; in contrast, those with lower perceived self-efficacy used the portal more. These differences in patients' capacity to use patient portals provide an initial understanding of factors that may influence the use of telehealth and offer important guidance in efforts to support patients' telehealth use.
AHRQ-funded; HS024379; HS024091; HS024349.
Citation: McAlearney AS, Sieck CJ, Gregory ME .
Examining patients' capacity to use patient portals: insights for telehealth.
Med Care 2021 Dec;59(12):1067-74. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001639..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient and Family Engagement
Abraham J, Meng A, Holzer KJ
Exploring patient perspectives on telemedicine monitoring within the operating room.
The authors sought to identify participant-rated items contributing to patient attitudes, beliefs, and level of comfort with electronic OR (eOR) monitoring and to highlight barriers and facilitators to eOR use. They found that participants expressed significant support for intraoperative telemedicine use and greater comfort with local telemedicine systems instead of long-distance telemedicine systems. They further found that reservations centered on organizational policies, procedures, environment, culture; people; workflow and communication; and hardware and software.
Citation: Abraham J, Meng A, Holzer KJ .
Exploring patient perspectives on telemedicine monitoring within the operating room.
Int J Med Inform 2021 Dec;156:104595. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104595..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Surgery, Patient Experience
Hayden EM, Davis C, Clark S
Telehealth in emergency medicine: a consensus conference to map the intersection of telehealth and emergency medicine.
Through the 2020 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's annual consensus conference, experts in emergency medicine (EM) and telehealth created a research agenda to explore how EM should intersect with telehealth. The multiyear process resulted in consensus with a final set of 24 important research questions. The primary finding from the process was the breadth of gaps in the evidence for telehealth in EM and telehealth in general. The consensus process identified priority research questions for the use of and evaluation of telehealth in EM to fill the current knowledge gaps.
AHRQ-funded; HS027528.
Citation: Hayden EM, Davis C, Clark S .
Telehealth in emergency medicine: a consensus conference to map the intersection of telehealth and emergency medicine.
Acad Emerg Med 2021 Dec;28(12):1452-74. doi: 10.1111/acem.14330..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Emergency Department, COVID-19
Rogers H, Madathil KC, Joseph A
An exploratory study investigating the barriers, facilitators, and demands affecting caregivers in a telemedicine integrated ambulance-based setting for stroke care.
This study investigates the impact of telemedicine on workload, teamwork, workflow, and communication of geographically distributed caregivers delivering stroke care in ambulance-based telemedicine. Simulated stroke sessions were conducted with selected caregivers, then followed with a survey and interviews. Findings showed that barriers included frustration with equipment, the loss of personal connection of the neurologists with the patients, and physical constraints in the ambulance. Facilitators included live visual communication increasing teamwork and efficiency, the ease of access to neurologist, increased flexibility, and high overall satisfaction and usability.
AHRQ-funded; HS026809.
Citation: Rogers H, Madathil KC, Joseph A .
An exploratory study investigating the barriers, facilitators, and demands affecting caregivers in a telemedicine integrated ambulance-based setting for stroke care.
Appl Ergon 2021 Nov;97:103537. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103537..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Caregiving, Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK
Disparities in use of video telemedicine among patients with limited English proficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors hypothesized that limited English proficiency (LEP) would be associated with lower video use compared with telephone, especially among patients without prior video visit experience. They found that one-third of patients with LEP scheduled a visit by video instead of telephone. Patients with LEP chose video less often than patients without LEP, even after adjusting for technology factors. However, among patients with prior video visit experience, no significant difference in video visit use by LEP was found.
AHRQ-funded; HS025189.
Citation: Hsueh L, Huang J, Millman AK .
Disparities in use of video telemedicine among patients with limited English proficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Nov;4(11):e2133129. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.33129..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Disparities, Communication
Reed M, Huang J, Graetz I
Treatment and follow-up care associated with patient-scheduled primary care telemedicine and in-person visits in a large integrated health system.
Telemedicine visits can offer patients convenient access to a clinician, but it is unclear whether treatment differs from that with in-person visits or how often patients require in-person follow-up. The objectives of this study was to examine whether physician prescribing and orders differed between telemedicine and office visits, whether physicians conducting telemedicine visits were more likely to require in-person follow-up, and whether telemedicine visits were associated with more health events.
AHRQ-funded; HS25189.
Citation: Reed M, Huang J, Graetz I .
Treatment and follow-up care associated with patient-scheduled primary care telemedicine and in-person visits in a large integrated health system.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Nov;4(11):e2132793. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.32793..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Primary Care
Cibrian FL, Monteiro E, Ankrah E
Parents' perspectives on a smartwatch intervention for children with ADHD: rapid deployment and feasibility evaluation of a pilot intervention to support distance learning during COVID-19.
This paper explores how smartwatch technology, including timing notifications, can support children with ADHD during distance learning due to COVID-19. The researchers used a Digital Health Intervention which included a smartwatch and a smartphone. Their results demonstrated that children successfully adopted the use of the smartwatch, and parents believed that the intervention was helpful, especially in supporting the development of organizational skills in their children. The authors included suggestions to help professionals teach children with ADHD to use smartwatches to improve organization and task completion, especially as it applies to supporting remote instruction.
AHRQ-funded; HS026058.
Citation: Cibrian FL, Monteiro E, Ankrah E .
Parents' perspectives on a smartwatch intervention for children with ADHD: rapid deployment and feasibility evaluation of a pilot intervention to support distance learning during COVID-19.
PLoS One 2021 Oct 27;16(10):e0258959. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258959..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, COVID-19, Behavioral Health, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Patient Adherence/Compliance
Zachrison KS, Yan Z, Schwamm LH
Changes in virtual and in-person health care utilization in a large health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This cross-sectional study evaluates how the growth of virtual care has impacted health care utilization in an integrated delivery network.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Zachrison KS, Yan Z, Schwamm LH .
Changes in virtual and in-person health care utilization in a large health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Netw Open 2021 Oct;4(10):e2129973. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.29973.
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Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery
Liu X, Goldenthal S, Li M
Comparison of telemedicine versus in-person visits on impact of downstream utilization of care.
This study’s objective was to evaluate the impact of telemedicine on downstream utilization of care compared to in-person visits. The authors evaluated insurance claims of a large commercial payer – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) – to assess the frequency of follow-up visits following encounters initiated via telemedicine versus in-person. Claim level data was used for the period 2011-2017 from encounters in the following places of service: hospital outpatient, doctor’s office, patient’s home, or psychiatric daycare facility. The intervention group consisted of episodes initiated via telemedicine, and the control group was episodes initiated in-person. Primary outcome analyzed was the percentage of 30-day episodes with a related visit across diagnostic categories. Secondary outcome was the mean related visit rate. Mean related visit rate was 16%, but telemedicine visits had a higher frequency of related visits across all diagnostic categories. Further research is needed to explore if increased utilization is a result of excessive care or expanded access to care.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Liu X, Goldenthal S, Li M .
Comparison of telemedicine versus in-person visits on impact of downstream utilization of care.
Telemed J E Health 2021 Oct;27(10):1099-104. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0286.
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Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Utilization
Portney DS, Zhu Z, Chen EM
COVID-19 and use of teleophthalmology (CUT Group): trends and diagnoses.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic altered how clinicians care for patients. Ophthalmologists saw an estimated 81% drop in volume, the most of any specialty during the initial pandemic and public health restrictions. This study demonstrates the characteristics of telehealth use in ophthalmology on a large scale with primary data before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Portney DS, Zhu Z, Chen EM .
COVID-19 and use of teleophthalmology (CUT Group): trends and diagnoses.
Ophthalmology 2021 Oct;128(10):1483-85. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.02.010..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery
Zachrison KS, Sharma R, Wang Y
National trends in telestroke utilization in a US commercial platform prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this study, the objective was to describe characteristics of telestroke consultations among a national sample of telestroke sites on one of the most commonly used common vendor platforms, prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The investigators concluded that among spoke sites using a commercial telestroke platform over a seven-year time horizon, times to consult start and alteplase bolus decreased over time. Similar to academic networks, duration of telestroke participation in this commercial network was associated with faster alteplase delivery, suggesting practice improves performance.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Zachrison KS, Sharma R, Wang Y .
National trends in telestroke utilization in a US commercial platform prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021 Oct;30(10):106035. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2021.106035..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Practice Patterns
Taber DJ, Fleming JN, Su Z
Significant hospitalization cost savings to the payer with a pharmacist-led mobile health intervention to improve medication safety in kidney transplant recipients.
This paper examined hospitalization cost savings to the payer with a pharmacist-led mobile health intervention to improve medication safety in kidney transplant recipients. This study was an economic analysis of a 12-month, parallel arm, randomized controlled trial in adult kidney recipients 6 to 36 months posttransplant (NCT03247322). All participants received usual posttransplant care, while the intervention arm received supplemental clinical pharmacist-led medication therapy monitoring and management, via a smartphone-enabled mHealth app, integrated with risk-based televisits.
AHRQ-funded; HS023754.
Citation: Taber DJ, Fleming JN, Su Z .
Significant hospitalization cost savings to the payer with a pharmacist-led mobile health intervention to improve medication safety in kidney transplant recipients.
Am J Transplant 2021 Oct;21(10):3428-35. doi: 10.1111/ajt.16737..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Provider: Pharmacist, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Transplantation, Hospitalization, Medication: Safety, Medication
Jacobs M, Ellis C
Estimating the cost and value of functional changes in communication ability following telepractice treatment for aphasia.
This study assessed the cost, cost-effectiveness, and perceived value associated with improved functional communication in individuals receiving telerehabilitation treatment for aphasia. Twenty persons with aphasia completed between 5 and 12 telehealth sessions of 45-60 minutes within a 6-week timeframe using a Language-Oriented Treatment (LOT). Measures were used to obtain baseline and treatment status using the National Outcomes Measures (NOMS) comprehension and verbal expression and the ASHA Quality of Communication Life (QCL). African Americans were twice as likely as Whites to experience improvement after treatment. The likelihood of improvement also increased with each additional year of education but decreased with age. The average cost of treatment varied between $540 and $1,296. However, on average the monetary equivalent in patient’s improved QCL was between $1,790 to $3,912, showing the QCL far exceeded the financial cost of treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS025043.
Citation: Jacobs M, Ellis C .
Estimating the cost and value of functional changes in communication ability following telepractice treatment for aphasia.
PLoS One 2021 Sep 17;16(9):e0257462. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257462..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Costs, Outcomes
Parish MB, Gonzalez A, Hilty D
Asynchronous telepsychiatry interviewer training recommendations: a model for interdisciplinary, integrated behavioral health care.
Asynchronous telepsychiatry (ATP) is an integrative model of behavioral health service delivery that is applicable in a variety of settings and populations, particularly consultation in primary care. This article outlined the development of a training model for ATP clinician skills. The training needs for ATP clinicians were assessed on a limited convenience sample of experts and clinicians. The authors suggested that more rigorous studies of training for ATP and other technology-focused, behavioral health services are needed.
AHRQ-funded; HS021477.
Citation: Parish MB, Gonzalez A, Hilty D .
Asynchronous telepsychiatry interviewer training recommendations: a model for interdisciplinary, integrated behavioral health care.
Telemed J E Health 2021 Sep;27(9):982-88. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2020.0076..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Behavioral Health, Primary Care, Patient-Centered Healthcare, Training
Wells R, Dionne-Odom JN, Azuero A
Examining adherence and dose effect of an early palliative care intervention for advanced heart failure patients.
The objective of this study was to examine the "dose" effect of PC intervention completion vs. noncompletion on quality of life (QoL) and healthcare use in patients with advanced heart failure (HF) over 32 weeks. The investigators concluded that higher intervention completion rates of an early PC intervention was associated with QoL improvements in patients with advanced HF.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852.
Citation: Wells R, Dionne-Odom JN, Azuero A .
Examining adherence and dose effect of an early palliative care intervention for advanced heart failure patients.
J Pain Symptom Manage 2021 Sep;62(3):471-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.01.136..
Keywords: Palliative Care, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Quality of Life, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Misra-Hebert AD, Hu B, Pantalone KM
Primary care health care use for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study sought to examine factors associated with total and virtual primary care use for patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used electronic medical records in the Cleveland Clinic Health System comparing prepandemic use from August 2019 to March 2020 (baseline period 0) to two pandemic periods: March to June 2020 (period 1) when in-person visits were converted to virtual; and July to November 2020 when in-person visits resumed (period 2). Demographic characteristics were obtained including age, sex, race, insurance type, median income estimated by zip code and baseline HbA1C. The study included 76,015 patients with T2D who completed a primary care visit in baseline period 0. Cohort median age was 66.2 years, 50.7% women, 21.7% Black, 71.0% White and 7.4 Other. Insurance distribution was 43.2% private, 46.5% Medicare, and 9.5% Medicaid. Median income was estimated at $59,000 and baseline HbA1C was ≤ 7% for 59.6% of patients. There were higher odds of Black patients, those with uncontrolled T2D, and those with Medicare and Medicare using virtual visits during the 2 postpandemic periods suggesting that virtual visits may be a preference for those groups. Older and male patients had lower odds of visit completion.
AHRQ-funded; HS024128.
Citation: Misra-Hebert AD, Hu B, Pantalone KM .
Primary care health care use for patients with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Diabetes Care 2021 Sep;44(9):e173-e74. doi: 10.2337/dc21-0853..
Keywords: COVID-19, Diabetes, Primary Care, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Delivery, Access to Care, Chronic Conditions
Mohr NM, Campbell KD, Swanson MB
Provider-to-provider telemedicine improves adherence to sepsis bundle care in community emergency departments.
Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency. Together, early recognition and intervention decreases mortality. Protocol-based resuscitation in the emergency department (ED) has improved survival in sepsis patients, but guideline-adherent care is less common in low-volume EDs. This study examined the association between provider-to-provider telemedicine and adherence with sepsis bundle components in rural community hospitals. The investigators found that telemedicine patients were more likely to receive initial blood lactate measurement, timely broad-spectrum antibiotics, and adequate fluid resuscitation.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Mohr NM, Campbell KD, Swanson MB .
Provider-to-provider telemedicine improves adherence to sepsis bundle care in community emergency departments.
J Telemed Telecare 2021 Sep;27(8):518-26. doi: 10.1177/1357633x19896667..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Emergency Department, Sepsis
Jacob SA, Carroll AE, Bennett WE
A feasibility study of telemedicine for paediatric sickle cell patients living in a rural medically underserved area.
The purpose of this cross-sectional, observational study was to determine the feasibility of using telemedicine for the provision of subspecialty pediatric (0-21 years old) Sickle Cell Disease care in a rural medically underserved area. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, observational, feasibility study. The study found that 10 SCD patients initiated telemedicine visits during the study period. Approximately 60% of the eligible participants did not attend more than 50% of scheduled visits prior to beginning telemedicine visits or were lost to follow-up. After initiation of telemedicine, all Hb SS patients were started and/or maintained on hydroxyurea. Nine out of 10 patients who participated during this timeframe had a 100% follow-up rate. All the participants rated the comfort and ease of using the telehealth system as good or excellent, and all participants would take part in a telemedicine visit again.
AHRQ-funded; HS026390.
Citation: Jacob SA, Carroll AE, Bennett WE .
A feasibility study of telemedicine for paediatric sickle cell patients living in a rural medically underserved area.
J Telemed Telecare 2021 Aug;27(7):431-35. doi: 10.1177/1357633x19883558..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Telehealth, Sickle Cell Disease, Rural Health, Chronic Conditions, Vulnerable Populations, Health Information Technology (HIT)
Powell KR, Alexander GL
Consequences of rapid telehealth expansion in nursing homes: promise and pitfalls.
Expectations regarding use and potential benefits of telehealth (TH) in nursing homes (NHs) are high; however, unplanned and unexpected consequences can occur as a result of major policy and technological changes. The goal of this study was to elicit stakeholder perspectives of consequences of rapid TH expansion in NHs. The investigators concluded that clinicians and NH administrators should consider leveraging the desirable consequences of rapid TH expansion and implement mitigation strategies to address the undesirable/unanticipated consequences.
AHRQ-funded; HS022497.
Citation: Powell KR, Alexander GL .
Consequences of rapid telehealth expansion in nursing homes: promise and pitfalls.
Appl Clin Inform 2021 Aug;12(4):933-43. doi: 10.1055/s-0041-1735974..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Nursing Homes
Andino J, Zhu A, Chopra Z
Video visits are practical for the follow-up and management of established male infertility patients.
This study looked at the use and benefits of video visits for the follow-up and management of established male infertility patients at a tertiary academic center in southeast Michigan. This review was conducted for visits prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most male infertility patients had an endocrinologic (29%) or anatomic (21%) cause for their infertility. The majority (73%) of visits involved reviewing results; 30% included counseling regarding assistive reproductive technologies; and 25% of visits resulted in prescribing hormonally active medications. No patients required an unplanned in-person visit with two patients coming in for an elective varicocelectomy. Cost savings ranged from $149 to $252 and they were estimated to save a median of 97 minutes of travel per visit.
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Andino J, Zhu A, Chopra Z .
Video visits are practical for the follow-up and management of established male infertility patients.
Urology 2021 Aug;154:158-63. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.03.050..
Keywords: Men's Health, Sexual Health, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Healthcare Costs
Swanson MB, Miller AC, Ward MM MM
Emergency department telemedicine consults decrease time to interpret computed tomography of the head in a multi-network cohort.
Telemedicine can improve access to emergency stroke care in rural areas, but the benefit of telemedicine across different types and models of telemedicine networks is unknown. The objectives of this study were to (1) identify the impact of telemedicine on ED stroke care, (2) identify if telemedicine impact varied by network, and (3) describe the variation in process outcomes by telemedicine across EDs.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Swanson MB, Miller AC, Ward MM MM .
Emergency department telemedicine consults decrease time to interpret computed tomography of the head in a multi-network cohort.
J Telemed Telecare 2021 Jul;27(6):343-52. doi: 10.1177/1357633x19877746..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Imaging, Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions
Chao GF, Li KY, Zhu Z
Use of telehealth by surgical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This study’s objective was to determine telehealth use by surgical specialty before and during the pandemic period starting in March 2020. Insurance claims from a Michigan statewide commercial payer for new patient visits with a surgeon from 1 of 9 surgical specialties during one of the following periods: prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (period 1: January 5 to March 7, 2020), early pandemic (period 2: March 8 to June 6, 2020), and late pandemic (period 3: June 7 to September 5, 2020) were analyzed. For new patient visits, 1182 surgeons (26.8%) in any patient context used telehealth. Telehealth use peaked in April 2020 and facilitated 34.6% of all new patient visits during that week. Urology was the specialty with the highest telehealth conversion rate (14.3%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027632.
Citation: Chao GF, Li KY, Zhu Z .
Use of telehealth by surgical specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
JAMA Surg 2021 Jul;156(7):620-26. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.0979..
Keywords: COVID-19, Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Access to Care, Practice Patterns, Surgery