Direct-to-Consumer Academic Telemedicine

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Digital Health
• Telemedicine

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption and innovation of telemedicine services globally.
• Academic health systems faced the challenge of rapidly scaling virtual care infrastructure to meet increased demand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and impact of a direct-to-consumer telemedicine program within an academic health system.
• To highlight the role of this program as a model for virtual health infrastructure and workforce development.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a video-based telemedicine program across five clinical departments.
• Staffing the program with 80 healthcare providers, including physicians (MDs) and advanced practice providers (APPs).
• Focus on direct-to-consumer delivery model.

Main Results:

• The program became the largest direct-to-consumer telemedicine service of its kind in California.
• One year post-launch, the program demonstrated success in expanding access to care.
• The initiative improved care coordination and served as a workforce engine for virtual health.

Conclusions:

• Direct-to-consumer telemedicine offers a viable and scalable model for academic health systems.
• This approach can significantly enhance healthcare access and operational efficiency in virtual settings.
• The program's success underscores the potential of telemedicine to reshape healthcare delivery.