Telemedicine Interest for Routine Follow-Up Care Among Neurology Patients in Arkansas.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Telemedicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Teleneurology in Arkansas primarily supports acute stroke management via a hub-and-spoke model.
• Routine neurologic care via teleneurology has been limited to small pilot studies.
• Patient interest and influencing factors for routine teleneurology visits were unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine patient interest in teleneurology for routine follow-up visits.
• To identify demographic and medical factors associated with patient interest in teleneurology.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to new and established neurology patients at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Neurology Outpatient Clinic.
• Data were collected between March 2011 and December 2012.
• Patient interest in teleneurology and associated factors were assessed.

Main Results:

• Over half (52.4%) of 1,441 respondents expressed interest in telemedicine.
• Interest in telemedicine was significantly associated with longer travel distances (>1 hour), neurological condition-related difficulties, missed appointments due to travel, and financial hardship related to travel.

Conclusions:

• Patient interest in teleneurology for routine neurology follow-up visits is substantial.
• Long travel distances, financial burdens, and transportation issues are key factors driving patient interest in telemedicine.
• Implementing a telemedicine program for routine neurology care appears acceptable and beneficial for patients.