Telemedicine Eliminated Racial Inequity in Follow-Up Care After Hospitalization

One of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it spurred health care organizations to invest in and increase the availability of telemedicine. Bringing care to patients in their home or other setting seems to be linked with greater follow-through on keeping appointments. This trend is even more dramatic in Black patients than white patients, according to a new study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine by Penn Medicine researchers, with telemedicine helping to close a racial gap in access to follow-up care after hospitalization.

“We’re very excited to be able to … contribute to closing historic inequities in access to care using digital channels,” senior author Srinath Adusumalli, MD, told WHYY.

 

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