RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Disparities in Access to Neurologic Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
JF Neurology: Clinical Practice
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP e97
OP e101
DO 10.1212/CPJ.0000000000001028
VO 11
IS 2
A1 Gursky, Jonathan M.
A1 Boro, Alex
A1 Escalante, Sheri
A1 Ferastraoaru, Victor
A1 Hanumanthu, Rajani
A1 Haut, Sheryl
A1 Jehle, Rana
A1 Molinero, Isaac
A1 Rick, Lindsay
A1 Rosengard, Jillian
A1 Saifeddine, Mohamad
A1 Sugrue, William
A1 Moshé, Solomon L.
A1 Ballaban-Gil, Karen
YR 2021
UL http://cp.neurology.org/content/11/2/e97.abstract
AB Objective To 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.Methods We 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.Results We 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.Conclusions Our 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.