Limiting Potential Exposure During a Pandemic: The Importance of Diagnostic Testing Options for COVID-19

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) altered the delivery of outpatient care and expanded the use of telehealth solutions. This research underscores the importance of providing options for accessing health care services and diagnostic testing in a clinically rigorous manner. Providing options for patients will be essential in curtailing the spread of COVID-19, and any concomitant confusion caused by the overlapping symptomology of the flu and other upper respiratory viruses. A survey was sent to patients to collect information related to their experience with testing, guidance, and consults in a telehealth model for SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, patients were asked where they would have sought testing and care had this model not been available, and their satisfaction level with the service itself. More than 1,400 patients responded to the survey for a response rate of 15%. Results demonstrate that patients who underwent testing and received guidance/consults through this model would have visited other in-person clinical environments such as emergency rooms or urgent care centers. Although ∼70% of patients had never used telehealth services before, >90% were highly satisfied with their experience. Many health experts are predicting a second wave for COVID-19 infections around the country. Given the strong overlap of flu and other upper respiratory infections with COVID-19, the winter season could prove challenging both to contain the spread of the virus and to differentiate the cause. This research sheds additional light on the importance of providing patients with viable safe alternatives to obtain diagnostic testing, guidance, and consults.