Abstract
INTRODUCTION: During COVID-19 pandemic, Telehealth was crucial to the delivery of healthcare services. it is expected that even after the pandemic is almost over, providers will probably start using telehealth on a regular basis as we transition to the “new normal.” Therefore, it is crucial to identify and resolve any discrepancies in telehealth’s effectiveness and accessibility. OBJECTIVES: Examine disparities in telehealth access and explain how frequently OB-GYN patients used telehealth during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic according to race/ethnicity and insurance status. METHOD: A cross-sectional design was used including a convenience sample of 9370 women who received telehealth or in-person care. RESULTS: 15,362 encounters were completed in total. 81.34% of appointments were held in person throughout the study’s time period, and 18.66% were managed by telehealth. The majority of the patients had private health insurance (n = 975, 52.4%) and were Caucasian (n = 1202, 63.4%). Compared to patients of other races, patients of Hispanic and Asian descent were less likely to attend their telehealth appointment (p< 0.001). Patients with private health insurance were more likely than those with public health insurance to show up for their telehealth appointments (p< 0.001).CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that underserved populations, including individuals of color, those with public insurance, and others, must have greater access to and utilization of telehealth services.