Practicing Family Medicine in a Pandemic World: Lessons for Telemedicine, Health Care Delivery, and Mental Health Care

Abstract

In this issue of the Journal, several articles evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of telemedicine. Evidence demonstrates that telemedicine is not equally effective for all clinical situations. Another set of articles report research on the delivery of health care: electronic reminders for physicians, standing orders, guideline use, and screening for social determinants of health. Two studies report on the effects of the pandemic on the mental health of subpopulations. The impact of changing insurance status on chronic disease diagnoses, the implications of eliminating the X-waiver, and trends in early career family physician salaries are also studied.