Does telemedicine affect prescribing quality in primary care?
Susan J. Méndez (susan.mendez@unimelb.edu.au),
Daniel Avdic (d.avdic@deakin.edu.au),
Johannes S. Kunz (johannes.kunz@monash.edu) and
Maria Wiśniewska
Additional contact information
Susan J. Méndez: Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne, https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/670060-susan-mendez
Johannes S. Kunz: Centre for Health Economics, Monash University
Maria Wiśniewska: Centre for Health Economics, Monash University
Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series from Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne
Abstract:
We study how the diffusion of telemedicine technology impacted the quality and rates of antibiotic prescriptions using Australian survey data from primary care physicians linked to administrative records on their service provision. We classify physicians based on their relative use of telemedicine consultations in response to the introduction of government-subsidised telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and relate their rates of antibiotic prescriptions to indicators of prescribing quality before and after lockdown periods in a difference-indifferences design. Our results suggest that more frequent users of telemedicine prescribe relatively fewer antibiotics while keeping prescribing quality largely unchanged. We interpret these findings as evidence that telemedicine can enhance efficiency of service provision in primary care settings.
Keywords: telemedicine; practice style; quality of care; antibiotics; difference-indifferences; technology diffusion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H44 H51 I11 I18 O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 49pp
Date: 2024-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-inv
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Working Paper: Does telemedicine affect prescribing quality in primary care? (2024)
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