Saif Khairat1,2, Timothy Haithcoat3, Songzi Liu4, Tanzila Zaman2, Barbara Edson5, Robert Gianforcaro5, Chi-Ren Shyu3,6. 1. School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 2. Carolina Health Informatics Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 3. MU Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA. 4. School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 5. Virtual Care Center, UNC Healthcare, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 6. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Health disparity affects both urban and rural residents, with evidence showing that rural residents have significantly lower health status than urban residents. Health equity is the commitment to reducing disparities in health and in its determinants, including social determinants. OBJECTIVE: This article evaluates the reach and context of a virtual urgent care (VUC) program on health equity and accessibility with a focus on the rural underserved population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied a total of 5343 patient activation records and 2195 unique encounters collected from a VUC during the first 4 quarters of operation. Zip codes served as the analysis unit and geospatial analysis and informatics quantified the results. RESULTS: The reach and context were assessed using a mean accumulated score based on 11 health equity and accessibility determinants calculated for each zip code. Results were compared among VUC users, North Carolina (NC), rural NC, and urban NC averages. CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that patients facing inequities from rural areas were enabled better healthcare access by utilizing the VUC. Through geospatial analysis, recommendations are outlined to help improve healthcare access to rural underserved populations.
INTRODUCTION: Health disparity affects both urban and rural residents, with evidence showing that rural residents have significantly lower health status than urban residents. Health equity is the commitment to reducing disparities in health and in its determinants, including social determinants. OBJECTIVE: This article evaluates the reach and context of a virtual urgent care (VUC) program on health equity and accessibility with a focus on the rural underserved population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied a total of 5343 patient activation records and 2195 unique encounters collected from a VUC during the first 4 quarters of operation. Zip codes served as the analysis unit and geospatial analysis and informatics quantified the results. RESULTS: The reach and context were assessed using a mean accumulated score based on 11 health equity and accessibility determinants calculated for each zip code. Results were compared among VUC users, North Carolina (NC), rural NC, and urban NC averages. CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that patients facing inequities from rural areas were enabled better healthcare access by utilizing the VUC. Through geospatial analysis, recommendations are outlined to help improve healthcare access to rural underserved populations.
Authors: Mariana C Arcaya; Reginald D Tucker-Seeley; Rockli Kim; Alina Schnake-Mahl; Marvin So; S V Subramanian Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2016-08-28 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: Robert J Hilt; Rebecca P Barclay; James Bush; Brenda Stout; Nichole Anderson; Julia R Wignall Journal: Telemed J E Health Date: 2015-03-23 Impact factor: 3.536
Authors: Jeanette A Stingone; Germaine M Buck Louis; Shoji F Nakayama; Roel C H Vermeulen; Richard K Kwok; Yuxia Cui; David M Balshaw; Susan L Teitelbaum Journal: Annu Rev Public Health Date: 2017-01-06 Impact factor: 21.981
Authors: Brendan G Carr; Charles C Branas; Joshua P Metlay; Ashley F Sullivan; Carlos A Camargo Journal: Ann Emerg Med Date: 2009-02-07 Impact factor: 5.721
Authors: Courtney R Lyles; Anjana E Sharma; Jessica D Fields; Yaphet Getachew; Urmimala Sarkar; Laurie Zephyrin Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2022 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 5.707
Authors: Molly L Tanenbaum; Dessi P Zaharieva; Ananta Addala; Priya Prahalad; Julie A Hooper; Brianna Leverenz; Ana L Cortes; Nora Arrizon-Ruiz; Erica Pang; Franziska Bishop; David M Maahs Journal: Diabet Med Date: 2022-08-08 Impact factor: 4.213
Authors: Roy E Strowd; Lauren Strauss; Rachel Graham; Kristen Dodenhoff; Allysen Schreiber; Sharon Thomson; Alexander Ambrosini; Annie Madeline Thurman; Carly Olszewski; L Daniela Smith; Michael S Cartwright; Amy Guzik; Rebecca Erwin Wells; Heidi Munger Clary; John Malone; Mustapha Ezzeddine; Pamela W Duncan; Charles H Tegeler Journal: Neurol Clin Pract Date: 2021-06
Authors: Abraham A Brody; Tina Sadarangani; Tessa M Jones; Kimberly Convery; Lisa Groom; Alycia A Bristol; Daniel David Journal: J Gerontol Nurs Date: 2020-09-01 Impact factor: 1.254
Authors: Vivian Hsiao; Thevaa Chandereng; Robin L Lankton; Jeffrey A Huebner; Jeffrey J Baltus; Grace E Flood; Shannon M Dean; Amye J Tevaarwerk; David F Schneider Journal: Appl Clin Inform Date: 2021-06-09 Impact factor: 2.762