The utilization of telehealth during the 2017 hurricane season showcased the potential for remote healthcare services, according to a study published April 24 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Direct-to-consumer telehealth following natural disasters like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma peak three to six days after the storms. In the study, conducted by the RAND Corporation, researchers evaluated the impact, utilization and feasibility of using telehealth with hurricane-affected populations.
"Our study suggests that direct-to-consumer telemedicine is a new way to deliver routine health care to people in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, although it does require that certain infrastructure like cellular service and Wi-Fi remain intact," said Lori Uscher-Pines, lead author of the study and a senior policy researcher at RAND.
During the 2017 hurricane season, five telehealth companies offered free services. In this study, researchers evaluated the experiences of 2,057 patients and providers using a service known as Doctor On Demand in the 30 days following the hurricanes.
Key study findings included:
- 63 percent of patients affected by the hurricanes were first-time telehealth users.
- The majority of physicians offering care through Doctor On Demand were located out of state and handled over 50 percent of the visits.
- The top diagnoses in the first month were acute respiratory illnesses and skin problems.
- In the week following the hurricanes, demand for telehealth services for chronic care, advice, counseling and refills increased.
"Relying on direct-to-consumer telehealth services may help relieve the immediate burden on local health care system so that limited in-person care resources can be reserved for those patients with the greatest need,” Uscher-Pines said. "Our study illustrates the emerging role for direct-to-consumer telemedicine in disaster response."
Cara joined TriMed Media in 2016 and is currently a Senior Writer for Clinical Innovation & Technology. Originating from Detroit, Michigan, she holds a Bachelors in Health Communications from Grand Valley State University.