Gabrielle Gilmer, Natalie Jackson1, Stephen Koscumb2, Oscar Marroquin2, Gwendolyn Sowa. 1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopedic and Spine Research, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop Street, E1644 Biomedical Science Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA. 2. Department of Medicine, Epidemiology and Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic characteristics of patients who used telemedicine and office visits in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to quantify differences in clinical utilization between groups. Clinical utilization was defined as emergency department, urgent care, and hospital visits. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of 1,096 patients who used telemedicine and 1,171 patients who used office visits from April to June 2020 in outpatient PM&R at UPMC for musculoskeletal-related complaints. RESULTS: The telemedicine groups contained proportionally more people of color and higher comorbidities than the office visit groups. Patients who were seen in the telemedicine groups were more likely to be prescribed opioids than the office visit group. There were no differences in clinical utilizations between the telemedicine and office visit groups. CONCLUSIONS: The higher use of telemedicine in patients of color suggests a need for studying long-term outcomes to evaluate differences in care standards. We also identified that there is an urgent need to understand how telemedicine affects opioid prescribing practices. Lastly, future studies are needed to understand why there were no differences in clinical utilization between the telemedicine and office visit groups.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographic characteristics of patients who used telemedicine and office visits in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to quantify differences in clinical utilization between groups. Clinical utilization was defined as emergency department, urgent care, and hospital visits. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of 1,096 patients who used telemedicine and 1,171 patients who used office visits from April to June 2020 in outpatient PM&R at UPMC for musculoskeletal-related complaints. RESULTS: The telemedicine groups contained proportionally more people of color and higher comorbidities than the office visit groups. Patients who were seen in the telemedicine groups were more likely to be prescribed opioids than the office visit group. There were no differences in clinical utilizations between the telemedicine and office visit groups. CONCLUSIONS: The higher use of telemedicine in patients of color suggests a need for studying long-term outcomes to evaluate differences in care standards. We also identified that there is an urgent need to understand how telemedicine affects opioid prescribing practices. Lastly, future studies are needed to understand why there were no differences in clinical utilization between the telemedicine and office visit groups.
Authors: Charles A Odonkor; Rachel Esparza; Laura E Flores; Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez; Miguel X Escalon; Ryan Solinsky; Julie K Silver Journal: PM R Date: 2020-12-05 Impact factor: 2.298
Authors: Xiang Liu; Steven Goldenthal; Manqi Li; Shima Nassiri; Emma Steppe; Chad Ellimoottil Journal: Telemed J E Health Date: 2021-01-29 Impact factor: 3.536
Authors: Lauren A Eberly; Michael J Kallan; Howard M Julien; Norrisa Haynes; Sameed Ahmed M Khatana; Ashwin S Nathan; Christopher Snider; Neel P Chokshi; Nwamaka D Eneanya; Samuel U Takvorian; Rebecca Anastos-Wallen; Krisda Chaiyachati; Marietta Ambrose; Rupal O'Quinn; Matthew Seigerman; Lee R Goldberg; Damien Leri; Katherine Choi; Yevginiy Gitelman; Daniel M Kolansky; Thomas P Cappola; Victor A Ferrari; C William Hanson; Mary Elizabeth Deleener; Srinath Adusumalli Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2020-12-01