Changes in Physician Telemedicine Use during COVID-19: Effects of Practice Setting, Demographics, Training, and Organizational Policies

Bradford S. Pierce, Paul B. Perrin, Alan W. Dow, Natalie D. Dautovich, Bruce D. Rybarczyk and Vimal K. Mishra
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Bradford S. Pierce: Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Paul B. Perrin: Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Alan W. Dow: Division of Hospital Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Natalie D. Dautovich: Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Bruce D. Rybarczyk: Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Vimal K. Mishra: Department of Medicine and Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-11

Abstract: Telemedicine use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but uptake was uneven and future use is uncertain. This study, then, examined the ability of personal and environmental variables to predict telemedicine adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 230 physicians practicing in the U.S. completed questions concerning personal and environmental characteristics, as well as telemedicine use at three time points: pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and anticipated future use. Associations between use and characteristics were determined to identify factors important for telemedicine use. Physicians reported that telemedicine accounted for 3.72% of clinical work prior to the pandemic, 46.03% during the pandemic, and predicted 25.44% after the pandemic ends. Physicians within hospitals reported less increase in telemedicine use during the pandemic than within group practice ( p = 0.016) and less increase in use at hospitals compared to academic medical centers ( p = 0.027) and group practice ( p = 0.008). Greater telemedicine use was associated with more years in practice ( p = 0.009), supportive organizational policies ( p = 0.001), organizational encouragement ( p = 0.003), expectations of greater patient volume ( p = 0.003), and perceived higher quality of patient care ( p = 0.032). Characteristics such as gender, number of physicians, and level of telemedicine training were not significant predictors. Organizations interested in supporting physicians to adopt telemedicine should encourage its use and create policies supporting its use. More senior physicians had a greater degree of telemedicine uptake, while training programs did not predict use, suggesting that efforts to develop telemedicine competency in younger physicians may be ineffective and should be re-examined.

Keywords: telemedicine; telehealth; COVID-19; physician (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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