Advancing Telemedicine Within Family Medicine's Core Values

Cheng, Anthony; Guzmán, Cirila Estela Vásquez; Duffield, Tyler C.; Hofkamp, Holly

doi:10.1089/tmj.2020.0282

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 7 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…The comprehensive scope of caring for the entire family over time within the context of their community, regardless of socioeconomic status, location, or language, positions family physicians and their inter-professional care team as the first point of contact with the healthcare system. 13 The rapid adoption of virtual visits has challenged family physicians to adapt these core values of family medicine (contextual care, continuity of care, access to care, comprehensive care, and care coordination) within telemedicine. Virtual visits have been associated with high patient satisfaction, better access to care, and overall cost savings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceived Impact of Virtual Visits on Access to Care in Family Medicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study of Benefits and Challenges

Ho,

Fortenberry,

Gardner

et al. 2023

J Prim Care Community Health

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to the rapid adoption of telemedicine, including virtual visits, to minimize face-to-face contact between clinicians and patients. Family medicine clinics across the nation had to transform how they provided primary care while maintaining the core values of family medicine. The objective of this study was to analyze how family medicine faculty perceived the impact of virtual visits on patient access to care. Methods: This qualitative study took place in an academic primary care setting. We interviewed clinical faculty who utilized virtual visits about their experiences from June to December 2020. We used qualitative content analysis to evaluate the results of the interviews. Results: The study included a total of 20 participants. The mean age was 43.4 years, and 85% of participants were female. Researchers developed 3 themes, “Logistics of virtual visits,” “reigniting the concept of home visits,” and “barriers and benefits that affect specific patient populations” that describe how virtual visits have impacted patients’ access to care. The results highlight how virtual visits improve access to care by increasing flexibility for patients and providers and provide a new perspective into a patient’s home life. Challenges of virtual visits include language barriers, technological issues, and issues unique to vulnerable patient populations. Conclusion: Virtual visits can enhance family medicine’s ability to provide accessible care, but there are concerns it may worsen health disparities. Further research and quality improvement projects are needed to examine ways to implement innovative care delivery solutions to avoid further exacerbating these disparities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%