Good news about telehealth: It works

• That it will reduce access to care for the most vulnerable patients who may be unable to access digital services.
• That reimbursing providers for telemedicine services at the same rate as traditional services will encourage telemedicine overuse.
• That telemedicine is not an effective way to provide care.

Data from more than 3,000 URMC providers showed otherwise, said the researchers.

“We really dug into the data, and it disproved all three concerns, which is really quite exciting,” Fear said. “Not only did our most vulnerable patients not get left behind – they were among those engaging the most with, and benefitting the most from, telemedicine services. We did not see worse outcomes or increased costs, or patients needing an increased amount of in-person follow up. Nor did we find evidence of overuse. This is good care, and it is equitable care for vulnerable populations.”

Physicians and other clinical providers fear they will miss something by not sitting in the room with patients, Fear said, but the URMC researchers found no increase in negative outcomes. The findings don’t mean telemedicine will replace in-person care, but it’s clear it can help people access care, she said.

The second study, “Scaling Supply to Meet Behavioral Health Demand in New York State,” also published in NEJM Catalyst, found a combination of telehealth, on-site visits, and staff education improved access to care and reduced use of antipsychotic medications for nursing home residents.

“At a time when nursing homes nationwide are severely understaffed, and the need for mental health services among their residents is increasing, we’ve efficiently redesigned the way mental health services are provided to the more than 50 nursing homes we work with,” study lead author Adam Simning, MD, PhD, said in the news release. Simning is assistant professor of psychiatry at URMC.