Expanded use of telemedicine allowed broader access to care, should be maintained
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The COVID-19 pandemic expanded the use of telemedicine, promoting wider access and continuity of care, including for people who live farther away from tertiary eye centers.
These innovative, inclusive modalities to reach out to patients should not be abandoned, according to Kanza Aziz and co-authors of a poster presented at Real World Ophthalmology.
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In a study conducted at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, the number and characteristics of in-person vs. telemedical visits performed from January to December 2020 were identified. Residential zip codes were used to estimate the geographic location of patients.
A total of 1,911 telemedical patients (2,262 encounters) and 65,763 in-person patients (147,211 encounters) were included.
Telemedicine included 281 out-of-state patients (14.7%). Out-of-state patients received a significantly greater proportion of telemedical care vs. in-person care. Moreover, patients who lived farther away from the eye center received a significantly greater proportion of telemedical care. After adjusting for covariates, those who were out of state were as likely as those who were in state to use telemedical care vs. in-person care.
During the pandemic, U.S. regulatory changes allowed physicians to practice telemedicine across state lines. “Proposals to revert to pre-pandemic policies requiring in-state telemedicine could set back forward progress made during the pandemic, including negative impacts on access to care and continuity of care for established patients,” the authors wrote. “Expanded interstate telemedicine licensure and scope could help advance the efficiency and deployment gains seen during the pandemic.”
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Aziz K, et al. In-state versus out-of-state ophthalmic telemedicine utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented at: Real World Ophthalmology; Nov. 5, 2022 (virtual meeting).
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