TY - JOUR
T1 - Disparities in Access to Neurologic Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic
T2 - A Bronx Tale
AU - Gursky, Jonathan M.
AU - Boro, Alex
AU - Escalante, Sheri
AU - Ferastraoaru, Victor
AU - Hanumanthu, Rajani
AU - Haut, Sheryl
AU - Jehle, Rana
AU - Molinero, Isaac
AU - Rick, Lindsay
AU - Rosengard, Jillian
AU - Saifeddine, Mohamad
AU - Sugrue, William
AU - Moshé, Solomon L.
AU - Ballaban-Gil, Karen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Academy of Neurology.
PY - 2021/4/1
Y1 - 2021/4/1
N2 - ObjectiveTo determine whether there is a disparity in access to telemedical care that may be a function of socioeconomic status, language, or other demographic factors during the peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at a highly affected urban center (Montefiore Medical Center) in Bronx, NY.MethodsWe retrospectively investigated potential patient characteristics that might be associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a telephone visit as opposed to a televideo visit for patients followed in the pediatric neurology, adult epilepsy, and general neurology practices at Montefiore Medical Center during the 30-day period starting April 2, 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.ResultsWe found that patients who had telephone encounters, as opposed to televideo encounters, were overall older, less likely to have commercial insurance, and more likely to have Medicaid. Among pediatric patients, a preferred language other than English was also associated with a higher proportion of telephone encounters. New patients in both the adult and pediatric groups were more likely to have televideo visits.ConclusionsOur findings identify demographic factors, including age, insurance type, and language preference, which may play a role in access to televideo encounters among neurology patients in an urban center during the COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest several potential practice, institution, and community-based interventions, which might further expand access to televideo care for neurology patients.
AB - ObjectiveTo determine whether there is a disparity in access to telemedical care that may be a function of socioeconomic status, language, or other demographic factors during the peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at a highly affected urban center (Montefiore Medical Center) in Bronx, NY.MethodsWe retrospectively investigated potential patient characteristics that might be associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a telephone visit as opposed to a televideo visit for patients followed in the pediatric neurology, adult epilepsy, and general neurology practices at Montefiore Medical Center during the 30-day period starting April 2, 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York.ResultsWe found that patients who had telephone encounters, as opposed to televideo encounters, were overall older, less likely to have commercial insurance, and more likely to have Medicaid. Among pediatric patients, a preferred language other than English was also associated with a higher proportion of telephone encounters. New patients in both the adult and pediatric groups were more likely to have televideo visits.ConclusionsOur findings identify demographic factors, including age, insurance type, and language preference, which may play a role in access to televideo encounters among neurology patients in an urban center during the COVID-19 pandemic. We suggest several potential practice, institution, and community-based interventions, which might further expand access to televideo care for neurology patients.
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U2 - 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001028
DO - 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001028
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85124385896
SN - 2163-0402
VL - 11
SP - E97-E101
JO - Neurology: Clinical Practice
JF - Neurology: Clinical Practice
IS - 2
ER -