RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Using Virtual Visits to Care for Primary Care Patients With COVID-19 Symptoms
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP S147
OP S151
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2021.S1.200241
VO 34
IS Supplement
A1 Derjung M. Tarn
A1 Courtney Hintz
A1 Eluar Mendez-Hernandez
A1 Sabrina P. Sawlani
A1 Michelle A. Bholat
YR 2021
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/34/Supplement/S147.abstract
AB Purpose: Examine use of office resources by primary care patients who were initially evaluated through telehealth, telephone, or in-person encounters.Methods: Retrospective electronic health record review on patients seen in March 2020 for evaluation of potential COVID-19 symptoms, to assess the total number of interactions with physicians and office staff.Results: Of 202 patients, 89 (44%) had initial telehealth, 55 (27%) telephone, and 52 (26%) in-person encounters. Patients initially evaluated through telehealth, telephone, and in-person encounters had a mean of 6.1 (S.D. = 3.7), 5.2 (S.D. = 3.6), and 4.5 (S.D. = 3.0) total interactions with the office, respectively (P = .03), and 9%, 12.7%, and 19.2%, respectively, had a subsequent in-person or emergency department visit (P = .22). Multivariable analysis showed no differences in number of office interactions based on initial visit type; older patients (95% CI = 0.00-0.07) and those with subjective fevers (95% CI = 1.01–3.01) or shortness of breath (95% CI = 0.23-2.28) had more interactions with the office.Conclusion: Primary care providers used virtual visits to care for most patients presenting with potential COVID-19 symptoms, with many patients choosing telephone over telehealth visits. Virtual visits can successfully limit patient exposure to other people, and consideration could be given to increasing its use for patients with potential symptoms of COVID-19.