Outcomes, Satisfaction, and Costs of a Rheumatology Telemedicine Program: A Longitudinal Evaluation

Rural veterans with inflammatory arthritis (IA) lack medical access because of geographic barriers. Telemedicine (TM) holds great promise in relieving these disparities. We have prospectively measured patient-centered data surrounding a TM care program at a federal health system and compared these with usual care (UC).

Veterans with previously established IA were enrolled in TM follow-up. Data collected longitudinally before and after entering the program included Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID-3), out-of-pocket visit costs and distances traveled, and patient satisfaction instruments. Demographics were recorded. Similar data were collected on a convenience sample of concurrent IA patients receiving UC.

Eighty-five patients were observed, including 25 receiving TM care and 60 receiving UC. No differences in demographics, satisfaction scores, or RAPID-3 were noted at baseline between groups. Univariate linear regression of cross-sectional baseline data suggests satisfaction instrument scores were predicted by RAPID-3 (β = -0.64/10 points, p = 0.01), as well as distance (β = -0.19/100 miles, p = 0.02) and cost (β = -0.37/$100, p = 0.05). A multivariate model indicates both distance (β = -0.17/100 miles, p = 0.02) and RAPID-3 (β = -0.47/10 points, p < 0.03) were predictors for visit satisfaction. In longitudinal follow-up via TM, satisfaction (Δ = 0.03, p = 0.94) and RAPID-3 (Δ = 0.27, p = 0.89) remained similar to baseline among TM patients, whereas distance traveled (Δ = -384.8 miles/visit, p < 0.01) and visit costs (Δ = -$113.8/visit, p < 0.01) were reduced.

Patient-reported outcomes for care delivered via TM were similar to UC, with significant cost and distance savings. Patient-centered factors such as distance to care should be considered in design care delivery models, as they appear to drive patient satisfaction in conjunction with disease control.