Contrary to the expectations of many, people who are considered disadvantaged based on where they live have experienced a greater increase in the use of telehealth services than any other group since access to such services was expanded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a report published in Health Affairs, a previous trend that found an inverse link between socio-economic status and telehealth use reversed during the pandemic for non-elderly patients, with all minority groups experiencing increased telehealth use. The only exception has been among older adults, who continue to experience declines in telehealth use as they age.
Learn more about how the pandemic has changed telehealth use, in some cases in surprising ways, in the Healthcare Dive article and “Telemedicine reached disadvantaged communities during pandemic, study finds” and the Health Affairs study “Medicare Beneficiaries In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Increased Telemedicine Use During The COVID-19 Pandemic.”