The study, led by Jennifer Severe, MD, and published in JMIR Formative Research, found that the convenience of receiving care without leaving home, avoiding exposure to COVID-19 and patients’ initial experience seeing a provider virtually contributed to patient preference to remain remote, according to a university blog post.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that remote healthcare also decreased no-show rates, possibly due to removing barriers like access to transportation or having to make arrangements for child care, according to the blog post.
The study seems to support a perspectives article Becker’s covered that suggests some patients may develop a preference for telehealth care in the long term. If a widespread demand for remote mental healthcare remains, it will be a factor for healthcare system leaders to continue addressing.
More articles on telehealth:
Viewpoint: How clinicians should address patient telehealth concerns fueled by the pandemic
FCC gets $250M to relaunch COVID-19 telehealth program, seeks public input
Physician viewpoint: 5 tips to help patients maximize telehealth benefits
